Johannesburg - A family from Mohlakeng have blamed police for their 17-year-old son’s death because they failed to confiscate his father’s BMW that he was driving without a licence.
Nkosinathi Radebe and his friend, John Ntepe, died after Nkosinathi rolled his father’s silver BMW five times last Saturday. Two passengers escaped with injuries.
Nkosinathi took the vehicle without his father’s permission in order to drive his friend to his grandmother’s house in Kagiso.
Nkosinathi’s father Stanley claimed police officers who were on patrol stopped his son.
When they realised he did not have a driving licence, they told him he was under arrest. But instead of taking the vehicle from him, they instructed him to drive to the police station, and they escorted him.
“What type of a police officer would allow a child to drive a car when they know they are a danger to themselves and the community? They should not allow someone who doesn’t have a licence to drive a car.
“They should have tried to phone me because I am the owner of the vehicle.
“Nkosinathi’s death could have been avoided if police had taken away the car keys from him,” Radebe said.
Krugersdorp police spokesman Warrant Officer Hitler Ngwenya said the matter was not going to be investigated.
He would not explain what the procedure was when police came across a driver who was not licensed.
Nkosinathi, who had a passion for cars, was buried at Zenzele cemetery on Saturday alongside his friend after a joint funeral service.
Relatives sobbed as pictures from the duo’s childhood were shown in a video prepared for the funeral service.
The sombre mood turned to celebration at the cemetery when the boys’ friends celebrated shortly after the coffins were lowered into the ground.
Their friends revved cars next to the graves, and the mourners danced as kwaito songs belted out from the vehicles.
The Star