A Glenhills couple say they were struck by a car allegedly driven by a 14-year-old after they confronted him about reckless driving outside a school.
The mother has now lost her ability to earn an income.
The schoolboy allegedly rammed his father’s Golf 1 into her and her husband moments before they reprimanded the teen for spinning the car outside a school.
The couple also claimed that the youngster pointed a firearm at them when they complained about his reckless driving, before he rammed the car into them.
The KwaDukuza teenager was arrested and faces six charges – two counts of attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving, driving without a licence, the unauthorised use of a vehicle, and pointing a firearm.
Verosha Naidu and her husband Nathan Naidu, both 41, sustained serious injuries during the incident outside Glenhills Secondary School, which was captured on CCTV footage earlier this month.
Nathan said that while his injuries were less severe, Verosha was unable to return to work as an admin clerk. He said the vehicle’s tyre ran over her ring finger during the incident, and the finger was later amputated.
Nathan told the POST that he lived about 300 metres away from the school and he was concerned when they heard screaming at the school.
He said they had three daughters, aged 18, 14, and 12 who attended the school.
“Verosha and I took a walk to the school to check what was going on. It was just before 2.30pm, and the children were due to exit the school gates. We thought that the noise could be due to a fight outside the school and we were concerned about our daughters.
“We walk them to and from school every day. When we approached the school gates, there was a youngster driving a black Golf 1. He had three other passengers in the vehicle.
“We told him to stop spinning the vehicle, as there were schoolchildren who would exit the school gate and they might be injured.
“He became angry and pulled out a firearm and pointed it at us, threatening to shoot us for speaking to him about spinning the car dangerously around schoolchildren.”
Nathan said the teen then sped off, but he made a U-turn and drove straight into him and his wife a few seconds later.
He said he did not expect the boy to ram the car into them.
“We were standing along the pavement outside the school gate. The car came at us at a high speed. There was no time to react or get out of the way.
“My head hit the windscreen and the glass shattered. I fell to the ground and sustained injuries to my shoulder, neck and back.
“Verosha landed on the road. The tyre went over her right hand. She also sustained injuries to her lower back, legs, and head.
“The boy drove off after he knocked into us. My daughters had just exited the school gates when the incident happened. They were traumatised,” Nathan added.
He said IPSS Medical Rescue transported them to General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital.
“Verosha’s ring finger had to be completely amputated. On the same night, we heard that police arrested the teenager and the three others who were in the vehicle.
“We are thankful that the police had acted promptly, as this kind of behaviour from children should not be tolerated. The incident could have been more serious if the schoolchildren were already out the gate when the youngster drove about recklessly.”
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, spokesperson for KZN police, said three teenagers and a 20-year-old man were arrested, but only the case against the 14-year-old, who drove the vehicle, was enrolled.
The teenager who appeared in court last week was released into his parents’ custody. He is due to reappear in court next month.
Aiden David, chairperson of the eThekwini district policing board, said they were concerned about the incident.
“We view this incident as very barbaric and the perpetrators have no remorse or consideration for a human life. This incident is of serious concern because it shows that the day guidance counseling at schools ended, we began breeding young, uncivilised human beings with no direction or goals.
“Parents should not allow their children to grow up before their time. Parents who spoil their children must also be held accountable to the law for their negligence.
“Driving underage and without a valid driving permit is illegal and also shows irresponsibility. If someone is found driving underage or without a driving license, they will be charged.
“If an adult permits the child to drive their vehicle, the adult should also be charged and their licence should be taken away under the new de-merit system. We will strongly advocate for this,” David said.
