Family watches as taxi drives over young mom twice
Cape Town - Police have arrested a taxi driver and his taxi guard for allegedly driving over a young mom twice.
The 21-year-old woman was killed in the tragic incident on the corner of Viben and Petersen streets in Eikendal, Kraaifontein on Thursday.
Witnesses say the taxi driver twice drove over Abigail Jooste - the second time over her head - in front of her horrified sister Mavis and her nine-year-old daughter, both of whom were in the taxi.
The little girl escaped harm after she also fell out of the van with Abigail.
Abigail had apparently asked the driver to stop and wanted to get out of the taxi as she was late for work.
The taxi was en route to Brackenfell.
The taxi guard allegedly stopped Abigail from getting out and she fell out of the van with her niece.
Abigail’s mother, Rita van Neel, 46, tells the Daily Voice: “The taxi guard held her back and she fell out of the taxi with my granddaughter."
“The driver drove over her and then reversed over her head a second time. Mavis watched her sister die in the road, grey from the dust,” she says.
“This is more than we can bear,” she sobbed.
Rita van Neel is devastated after her daughter was driven over twice by a taxi.
Picture: Solly Lottering/ANA Pictures
Rita says she used to make her daughter a cup of coffee every morning before work, and will miss their times together.
She says Abigail was alive for a few minutes after the incident, but was declared dead on the scene by paramedics.
The young mom leaves behind a son, who turns three in November.
“He was very attached to his mother and I do not know if he will survive without her,” says Rita.
“She survived meningitis after a long battle, but loses her life because of a taxi driver.”
Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms the arrest of the driver and his taxi guard.
“Please be advised that two suspects, aged 37 and 20 years old, were arrested following a murder of a 21-year-old female [on Thursday ] in Petersen Street, Brackenfell at 9:50am. The suspects will appear in court once charged for murder,” says Rwexana.