Third child injured in taxi accident dies

A THIRD child who was admitted to hospital following a horrific taxi accident in Mdantsane, East London, on Saturday has died of her injuries.

Thandolwethu Lindani, 11, died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital on Saturday night.

Her sister Unabo, 7, and friend Lilitha Mnyanda, 9, died on the scene at the side of Qumza Highway on Saturday.

A fourth child, Lilitha’s younger sister Lathitha, 7, survived the incident unharmed.

She ran home still clutching a broken bowl of chocolate to report what had happened.

The four girls were walking on the pavement selling chocolates when a white Toyota Quantum minibus hit them.

Witnesses said the driver was entering Mdantsane from East London when he allegedly overtook, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

It left the road and slammed into the girls.

Witness Lukhona Kalkeni, 27, said that on impact the taxi crushed Thandolwethu before dragging Unabo and Lilitha down a cliff covered in shacks.

Kalkeni, who lived in one of the shacks, said: “The taxi took out a shack and left Unabo there. She was slashed by the zincs from the shack.

“The taxi slid further into the valley with Lilitha underneath before it [came to rest] on the rocks. “Unabo died immediately. “I rushed to the taxi and found the driver looking for his shoes.

“He found them, put them on and fled on foot.

Kalkeni said he saw a brandy bottle inside.

Police and paramedics searched for Lilitha, but to no avail.

Lilitha’s father Zolani Siboyana, 33, arrived on the scene and, after seeing the wreckage, rushed to look for his little girl.

He was seen searching under a pile of rocks, assisted by Kalkeni.

“He found her stuck under the rocks a few metres away from the taxi and brought her up to paramedics who declared her dead,” Kalkeni said.

Mdantsane police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said the taxi driver was still at large.

Police have opened a case of culpable homicide.