A YOUNG boy is fighting for his life at a hospital in Bethlehem, Free State.
This after he was allegedly run over by a police van during a violent community protest on Monday, 23 January.
The 12-year-old had joined other residents who were protesting against drugs in their area.
Cops had to use rubber bullets to disperse the angry residents.
While dispersing the crowd, a police vehicle that was travelling at high speed lost control and ran over the boy who was trying to run away, but fell.
According to witnesses, the van ran over the boy and left him until residents called an ambulance.
“The cops never bothered to help the boy.
“They were applying maximum force to stop the community from burning a house that belongs to a known drug dealer,” said a witness
The boy was admitted to hospital with injuries.
His aunt said the boy is critically injured on the spinal cord, which might lead to him being paralysed.
“He was transferred to Dihlabeng Regional Hospital. He spent a couple of days in the ICU.
“We have been told that he might be discharged after three months,” she said.
The boy’s mother (35) told Daily Sun her son is slowly recovering.
“I have learnt that he’s now able to speak and his hands are moving. But he can’t move on the bed. Doctors said they’re going to balance his spinal cord,” she told Daily Sun.
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She said that she has opened a case.
Police spokesman, Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, said a case of reckless and negligent driving was opened.
He said it would be ascertained which vehicle was involved in the accident and how the accident really happened after all the statements are obtained.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokeswoman, Lizzy Shuping, said that the matter was being investigated.
