Tragic end to party as bakkie crashes

THE Delft community in Cape Town is baffled after a tragedy in which six children sustained serious injuries and a five-year-old girl was declared brain dead.

A toddler’s birthday party ended abruptly when a speeding white bakkie crashed into a jumping castle where children were playing on Wednesday.

No one has been arrested‚ despite community members saying they know the perpetrators.

A neighbour who was on the scene when the accident happened said she heard cars revving in the distance. The next moment she heard the crash and saw the children’s bodies flying.

Thea-Liam Ely was playing basketball at his cousin’s third birthday party when he saw a car lose control and speed past him.

“When the car came round the corner I saw that it was driving in the wrong lane and went straight into the jumping castle … the next moment it was quiet as the children lay scattered in the driveway‚ no one making a sound. Not even crying.”

Ely said the driver and a few female companions‚ who were in the bakkie‚ fled the scene.

Ely said he saw a crate of beer in the vehicle and they reeked of alcohol. One of the male passengers had injured his leg and his neck. He sat on the pavement until an ambulance came.

The police said they were investigating a case of negligent driving. — DDC