A staffer at the Somerset West Night Shelter expressed being overwhelmed by mixed emotions after a client of the facility’s family shelter was injured in an accident on Thursday (24 August).
Supervisor Lance Petersen recalled arriving at the accident scene where the 14-year-old pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in Victoria Street, Somerset West, around 15:00.
The Gordon High School learner was apparently among a group of friends coming from school and walking toward the safe haven, which offers temporary accommodation and services to homeless families from a premises located a mere stone’s throw away, when the accident happened.
According to Sergeant Suzan Jantjies, spokesperson for Somerset West police, the victim allegedly attempted to dart across the busy arterial road when he was hit by a white Toyota Corolla Cross travelling in the direction of the CBD.
Petersen recalled being on the daily school-run, collecting learner clients from schools in Macassar and Firgrove, and transporting them back to the facility. While en-route to the facility located on the corner of Sergeant and Church Street, and just after turning left into Victoria Street at the N2 intersection, Petersen was flagged down by a fellow shelter teen who recognised the branded Honda BR-V.
“Instinct naturally kicked in,” said Petersen, who immediately attended to the injured teenager and alerted the facility manager and social worker. “I remained on-scene until my aforementioned shelter colleagues and the client’s parents responded before resuming my transport duties.”
Jantjies said police compiled an accident report following the accident, which resulted in the victim being hospitalised with slight injuries.
Abulele Dyasi, communications officer for the provincial Department of Health in Khayelitsha East Sub-structure, confirmed that a patient matching the description was transferred from Helderberg Hospital to Tygerberg Hospital in a stable condition for further specialist care.
According to a reliable source, the patient was expected to undergo follow-up scans for a suspected fracture to the collar bone, detailed scans to rule out injury to the back and orthodontist consultations for possible damage to his teeth on Friday (25 August).
