Toddler dies after protests crash

INLSA

HEARTBROKEN: Malungisa Ngalo speaks about the death of his child, Nhlanhla Ngalo, , who died of injuries received when a bus crashed into their home. Ngalo says he cant believe that his son is gone. Photo: Courtney Africa

Bhekimpilo Dungeni

A TODDLER has died of injuries received when a bus ploughed into their homes during a protest in Khayelitsha’s Site B section three weeks ago.

His death is one of four related to the service delivery protests in CapeTown.

Nhlanhla Ngalo, 20 months, was playing in the family shack when the bus smashed into it.

He received a cut to his hip and had internal bleeding, his father, Malungisa Ngalo, said.

“When I visited him last week it seemed he was recovering. All he had was a cut on his hip. The doctors told me he had internal bleeding too, but they would operate,” he said.

Nhlanhla Ngalo

INLSA

“When I visited on Thursday morning, they made me sign papers because they said his cut was too deep and they might need to amputate his leg. They also told me that the internal bleeding had risen to his lungs.

“They said he was going to be okay, though, but at about 6pm that day they called to say he [had died]. I was confused.”

Golden Arrow bus driver Sandile Hoko died three weeks ago when his bus was stoned and careered into several houses. Daniel Sass, a resident, died three days later.

Xolela Poncho, 30, died after his truck was stoned, allegedly by protesters on Mew Way near TR Section, on Monday night.

Ngalo said when he received the call informing him about his son’s death, he could not believe it.

“I really can’t believe my son is gone. He was a happy child and that is one of the things I will always remember about him.”

Ngalo’s wife, Noluvuyo, remains in Groote Schuur Hospital. She has a broken leg and spinal and neck injuries.

Holding a photograph of his son, Ngalo explained how he had tried to keep the news from his wife.

“It was really difficult for me to tell my wife. She was in pain and I didn’t want to add more pain by telling her that our son was dead. But I had to do it anyway.”

Ngalo described how it had been a normal day for them and how he had been watching the TV soap Generations with his brother while his son was playing with toys on the floor.

Soon after his brother left, he heard a loud bang and that was the last thing he remembered, he said.

His brother, Siphe Mnyombolo, said he had to pull the family from the rubble.

“Just a few seconds after leaving my brother’s shack, I heard a loud bang behind me, and when I looked around I saw the bus crashing into the shacks,” said Mnyombolo.

“I then realised it had crashed into my brother’s shack too. That is when I ran back and started helping them out.”

Ngalo said this was a tough time for the family, especially for his three-year-old daughter Lilitha Ngalo, who had been asking about her mother and her brother.

“I don’t want her to see her mother like this. It might really affect her,” said Ngalo.

In a previous interview, Ngalo told the Cape Times how he condemned the violence and that the wrong people were being targeted in these protests.

bhekimpilo.dungeni@inl.co.za