Cape Town - A six-year-old boy has avoided facial reconstruction after he was driven over by an alleged drunk driver.
The boy was caught under the wheels of the bakkie two months ago.
Doctors at Red Cross Children’s Hospital together with a panel at Groote Schuur Hospital had put their heads together to assess whether Zee-Hante Elevano Snyman needed facial reconstruction.
Instead, 18 stitches were done on his face and to his right arm, which will need physiotherapy.
Zee-Hante has now been able to return to his Grade R class at VRT Pitt School in Swellendam.
Police have arrested a 50-year-old who is known to the family for reckless and negligent driving.
He is expected back at the Swellendam Magistrate’s Court on June 18.
It has been a tough two months for Zee-Hante and his mother, Jay-Lee Synman who spent two days at Red Cross Children’s Hospital waiting for doctors to confirm the way forward.
Bones inside his nose and sinus cavity were crushed and the bone in his right arm had shot through the flesh.
Little Zee-Hante had been playing in his front yard on April 27 with a friend when a driver of a white Toyota Hilux lost control and rammed into him.
Zee-Hante was five at the time of the incident and celebrated his sixth birthday on May 26.
His friend was unharmed.
Snyman said: “My son and his friend were playing in the front yard and this driver could not get a proper turn,” she said.
“My child landed up underneath the car.
“I ran to the driver and begged him not to drive or move his vehicle.
“He reversed and just drove off.
“When I got to my son, I saw that he had a lot of blood all over his face and I grabbed him and rushed to a woman in the road who is a nurse.”
The child was taken to the local hospital and later transferred to Red Cross Children’s Hospital where doctors told the mother they would determine whether Zee-Hante needed reconstruction to his face.
“Doctors at the Red Cross and Groote Schuur Hospital consulted with one another. They said my son was still young and that his bones were still growing.
“He received 18 stitches to his face and four to his hand and six to his arm.
“The bone had torn through the flesh and they had to put everything back together.
“He will need physiotherapy. I am just glad that they managed to prevent facial reconstruction. He managed to go back to school last week.”
The mother added that she has received no feedback regarding the investigation.
“We later found out we know who the driver is,” she said.
“The police has not told us what happened after he was arrested.
“Zee-Hante is my only child. I am just glad he is doing well and he has celebrated his birthday.”
Spokesperson for Red Cross Children’s Hospital’s Dwayne Evans indicated that Zee-Hante was a patient at the hospital and could not divulge any other information regarding his stay. “We can confirm that a patient matching the description was admitted to the RCWMCH in the early hours of April 28. The patient was discharged on April 30 .”
Police spokesperson, Captain Malcolm Pojie said the driver had been arrested and charged and that matter was before court. “Swellendam Police has opened a Reckless and Negligent Driving case regarding the incident that happened on April 27 at 5.30pm in Gousblom Street, when the driver of a Toyota Hilux bakkie lost control and hit a child.
“The five-year-old was admitted to hospital with serious injuries.
“A 50-year-old man was arrested and appeared in the local magistrate court on 29 April. The case was postponed to June 18.’’
Weekend Argus