A Gugulethu family are counting their losses after a minibus taxi plunged into their house, leaving a trail of destruction.
The incident happened on Friday July 21, around 10pm. It hit the front bedroom, missing 67-year-old homeowner Linah Tshabalala by centimetres.
It is believed the Toyota Quantum hit a steel pole outside the house, crashed through the gate and into a stationary vehicle before crashing into a wall. It is unclear what led to the incident, but no one was injured.
Ms Tshabalala’s son, Ervin, said the damaged room belonged to his sister who happened to be away at the time. “In fact, I went to fetch her but she refused. That probably worked in her favour. She would have been dead by now,” he said.
Mr Tshabalala said the taxi driver ran away after the incident, but the owner was co-operating with the family.
“He is a gentleman of note I must say. He came to see the damage and has started rebuilding the house. Those are rare people to find. He is probably thinking about his vehicle. But he will have to pay for another car that was in the yard too,” he said.
He was, however, unhappy about the behaviour of the Gugulethu police whom he accused of ill treating the family when they went to open a case.
“Police blatantly refused to open a case.They told us they have no business in the issue. They said it was between us and the taxi owner,” he said.
When Vukani contacted Gugulethu police spokeswoman Constable Sindisiwe Ngqele about the family’s claims, she promised to get back to us, but by the time this edition went to print, she had not yet done so.
