$1 500 medical bill for hit and run victim

A BULAWAYO family is appealing for about $1 500 to cover medical expenses for its 18-year-old son who is battling for life in the Intensive Care Unit at Mpilo Central Hospital.

Mr Lot Ncube (18) was involved in a hit and run accident, where a vehicle with South African number plates hit him and sped off in Nkulumane suburb, leaving him in a pool of blood.

He sustained serious head injuries, broke his neck and left leg.

Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the accident.

“We received a report on a hit and run incident and police are on the lookout for the culprit. We are appealing to anyone with information which may lead to the arrest of the driver to contact their nearest police station,” he said.

His father, Mr Lovemore Ncube said they are appealing for financial assistance to get his son treated.

He said he was in the city centre at around 5 PM on Saturday when he received a phone call informing his son had been hit by a car.

“Onlookers said Lot was hit by a attempt to stop.

“We got information of a house he had gone to in Nkulumane 10 and when we got there, we were told he was just a malayitsha whom they were not familiar with,” he said.

Mr Ncube said when police tried to contact the malayitsha on the cellphone number that had been provided by that malayitsha who didn’t family, he was already in Beitbridge.

“Apparently he hasn’t been arrested yet but all we are stressed about now is saving my son’s life. So far we have been borrowing money for drips and other forms of medication, while he awaits the recommended treatment which will be determined by the scan results.

“We haven’t received the full bill yet but doctors at Mpilo Central Hospital have instructed that he gets a head scan. The cheapest place we got is Bulawayo Imaging Group which is charging $600 and an ambulance fee of $50 is also required immediately,” said the stressed Mr Ncube.

“He has spent six days in the ICU. Because we don’t have money for the scan, there is no progress in getting him treated. We are appealing to well wishers to assist us so that he starts receiving treatment.”

A vendor near Bullet shops, who preferred anonymity said, when some Good Samaritans tried to chase the malayitsha, he increased speed heading towards Nkulumane 10.

“Fearing they might cause more accidents, they let him go. But we then heard that he was a popular malayitsha who actually continued his errands on that evening, delivering goods somewhere in Nkulumane suburb.

“We heard when police later tried to reach him, he said he was already at Beitbridge border. We don’t know how true that was but we hope he will be arrested and suffer the consequences because he should have at-least stopped to check on the young man,” said the vendor.

Well-wishers can contact Mr Ncube on 0777 574 883 or his brother Mr Everest Ncube 0713 253 755. -@winnie_masara