Cape Town - The hot weather in the Western Cape has nearly cost a teenager her life.
Chané Marthinus, 16, was crushed after she crawled under a bakkie to dodge the blazing sun in Bredasdorp on Monday.
Luckily, she survived.
The incident occurred while the teen waited on an open field in Bastiaan Street for her neighbour Lee-Anne Newman, 30, who was at a nearby hall.
Without a tree in sight for shade, Chané crept into the shade provided by a Toyota Hilux bakkie.
The driver is alleged to have arrived and driven off, crushing the teen as she lay under the vehicle.
She was left with a skinned arm, bruising to her ribs and injuries to her lungs.
Lee-Anne said that the damage to her arm made it look like she struggled to get out from under the car. “All she said was, ‘The man ran over me, it’s very sore’”
Chané was rushed to Otto Du Plessis Hospital in Bredasdorp and from there to Worcester Hospital where she is still in a serious condition.
Charlene Hans, 35, said she hasn’t been able to see or speak to her only daughter because as they reached the hospital the ambulance sped off to Worcester.
Her husband, Angelo Hans, said according to reports the driver of the bakkie didn’t see his stepdaughter at all.
He added that the driver of the bakkie had been very helpful, offering to buy Chané toiletries and to give them a lift to see her in hospital.
Bredasdorp SAPS commander Colonel Maree Louw said police are investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving, but no arrests have been made.
Daily Voice
* E-mail your opinion to [email protected] and we will consider it for publication or use our Facebook and Twitter pages to comment on our stories. See links below.