THE death of a 6-year-old child - the second in three weeks - sparked a protest in which residents of Mohlakeng blockaded a road and demanded that a traffic light be installed.
Thuto Itumeleng, of Mohlakeng Extension 6, was on his way to school when he was hit by a car while crossing the R28 road in the township. He died at the scene.
Itumeleng, a pupil at Sedimosang Primary School in Mohlakeng, is the third victim to die on the same stretch of road.
Otsile Kashobane, 23, was killed on December 16 in a hit-and-run incident.
Two weeks ago, on May 2, Kashobane's cousin Donald Maine, 28, also died after yet another accident on what the residents now refer to as Killer Road.
His father Thabo called for the installation of a traffic light.
"Our understanding is that an overhead bridge will be built, but for now we want a traffic light that will help reduce accidents," Maine said.
After Itumeleng's death yesterday, angry residents closed the road with stones and branches.
They said a traffic officer who was dispatched to the area to help children cross the road failed to do her job.
A woman who witnessed the accident said: "She went over to the other side of the road leading to Randfontein to fetch the child and brought him over to the other road leading to Bekkersdal. However, she didn't help him cross over the road all the way and left him on his own.
"I saw a speeding bakkie that knocked him down and he flew about 10m before hitting the ground," she said.
Thuto's mother Mmatumelo Itumeleng said she knew something was terribly wrong when she received a call from a friend who asked her to rush home. "Not long after that, my sister Margaret also called and I knew then that something was wrong."
When she arrived at the scene, Mmatumelo was overcome by emotion at seeing her son. "I last saw him on Sunday because together with his two-year-old brother, they stay with my mother. I was busy with the laundry and we were singing a hymn, Tumelo ke thebe, that was his favourite song."
Kenny Mampondo of public safety at the Randfontein Local Municipality could not be reached for comment.
Schoolboy killed by bakkie
THE death of a 6-year-old child - the second in three weeks - sparked a protest in which residents of Mohlakeng blockaded a road and demanded that a traffic light be installed.
Thuto Itumeleng, of Mohlakeng Extension 6, was on his way to school when he was hit by a car while crossing the R28 road in the township. He died at the scene.
Itumeleng, a pupil at Sedimosang Primary School in Mohlakeng, is the third victim to die on the same stretch of road.
Otsile Kashobane, 23, was killed on December 16 in a hit-and-run incident.
Two weeks ago, on May 2, Kashobane's cousin Donald Maine, 28, also died after yet another accident on what the residents now refer to as Killer Road.
His father Thabo called for the installation of a traffic light.
"Our understanding is that an overhead bridge will be built, but for now we want a traffic light that will help reduce accidents," Maine said.
After Itumeleng's death yesterday, angry residents closed the road with stones and branches.
They said a traffic officer who was dispatched to the area to help children cross the road failed to do her job.
A woman who witnessed the accident said: "She went over to the other side of the road leading to Randfontein to fetch the child and brought him over to the other road leading to Bekkersdal. However, she didn't help him cross over the road all the way and left him on his own.
"I saw a speeding bakkie that knocked him down and he flew about 10m before hitting the ground," she said.
Thuto's mother Mmatumelo Itumeleng said she knew something was terribly wrong when she received a call from a friend who asked her to rush home. "Not long after that, my sister Margaret also called and I knew then that something was wrong."
When she arrived at the scene, Mmatumelo was overcome by emotion at seeing her son. "I last saw him on Sunday because together with his two-year-old brother, they stay with my mother. I was busy with the laundry and we were singing a hymn, Tumelo ke thebe, that was his favourite song."
Kenny Mampondo of public safety at the Randfontein Local Municipality could not be reached for comment.
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