Kiara Mohan.
Image: Supplied
WHAT began as a game of hide-and-seek ended in tragedy when five-year-old Kiara Mohan was crushed to death when a municipal skip bin fell on her, while she was playing.
The incident has sparked outrage, with residents and family members blaming the Newcastle Municipality for alleged negligence.
They claimed the bin had been a longstanding safety hazard.
Lisa Mohan, 33, said her daughter was playing outside their home at the Suryaville municipal flats, in Jasmine Crescent, on Friday, when tragedy struck.
“Kiara was at home from creche for the week because the weather was bad. She was playing with her friends from the flats and I was watching her.
“After around 1pm I told her that we should go inside to have a bath but she wanted to play a little longer. I went ahead to check on my 7-month-old baby and Kiara said she said she will follow.”
Mohan said she became concerned when Kiara did not return home.
“I looked outside through the window to see where Kiara was. I then went behind the flats and I saw that the skip bin had toppled over. Two other children were standing nearby. In that moment something told me that was my baby under the bin.
“When I looked closer, I could see that Kiara’s whole body was trapped under the bin. Only her head was sticking out and there was blood coming out of her nose.”
The municipal skip bin that fell on Kiara Mohan.
Image: Supplied
Mohan said she screamed for help while trying to lift the heavy, metal bin herself.
“My brother came running to help and we both picked up the skip bin while a neighbour pulled our Kiara’s body.”
The child was rushed to Mediclinic Newcastle, where doctors declared her dead.
Mohan said the post mortem would reveal the exact cause of death.
“We are in shock. How can something like this happen to my child?”
Mohan said finding her daughter trapped underneath the skip bin was “heartbreaking”.
“Every time I close my eyes, I see is her lifeless body and blood dripping down her face.”
She said he husband Dylan and Kiara’s four siblings were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.
Mohan accused the municipality of failing to maintain the skip bins.
“My daughter died due to the municipality’s negligence. They have not maintained these bins. On this bin the wheel was broken. They should have fixed it. To date they have not even reached out to sympathise with us,” she claimed.
Mohan said they demanded accountability for what had happened.
“Nothing will ever get my daughter back but I want answers for what has happened. My daughter was full of life and a loving child. We just want justice for our daughter,” Mohan added.
A family member, Veronica Nair, 55, who lives in the neighbouring Staff Flats, claimed they had not received any communication from the municipality.
“A councillor came to the family and said we should not sue the municipality. This is not about money. It is about a life that has been lost,” she said.
“This incident should not be handled politically just because the local elections are coming up. We should be focusing on the child who lost her life due to the irresponsible behaviour of the municipality,” claimed Nair.
The Mohan family. From left: Lisa, Kiara (front), Kaydeen, Daylan, Kayleen and Kaylee.
Image: Supplied
Neil Sookanan, deputy chairperson of the Newcastle District Residents Forum, claimed that the residents had repeatedly raised concerns about the skip bin’s condition.
“This accident should have never happened. It is because of the incompetence of the Newcastle Municipality that we find ourselves in this situation. This skip bin was a safety issue for a while. Residents had reported the issue of the missing wheel, as far back as two years ago. No-one ever came to fix the wheel or listen to our complaints.
“Even the refuse workers who emptied the skip every three weeks did not even raise the issue with the municipality.”
Sookanan also claimed that the same skip bin had toppled over on previous occasions.
“That same bin fell two times before. One person broke both their legs and the other sustained multiple injuries.
“The children play around that area and there are more bins without wheels at all. It is not the residents responsibility to fix the property of the municipality. Residents pay for these services but this is what they get in return.”
He criticised the local leadership and said the residents’ concerns were not being addressed.
“The councillor does not help us. She only says things to help the municipality,” he claimed.
Ward 3 DA councillor Connie Hariram offered condolences to the family but disputed claims that complaints had not been formally reported.
“We were unaware that there were issues with the municipal skip bin. I did not receive any reports or complaints. It is not the responsibility of the refuse workers to report such issues. The wheel was damaged due to the vagrants who rummage in the skip bin.”
Hariram said the municipality was also not responsible for fencing the area where the skip bin was situated.
“The municipality is not responsible for putting a gate around the skip bin, it is the responsibility of the body corporate of the flats.
“It is very sad what has happened and it could have been avoided if they had a body corporate in place. They need to control the people who are allowed into the flats because a lot of them are vagrants and drug addicts. The skip bins were replaced three years ago, so this was a fairly new skip bin.”
KZN Police spokesperson Lt Colonel Magwaza said Newcastle SAPS had opened an inquest docket and the incident was being investigated.
Newcastle Municipality did not respond in time of publication.