Special needs boy burns to death in taxi

A taxi driver has been arrested after one of his passengers, an eight-year-old child with special needs, burnt to death on the side of the road.

The taxi driver was travelling along the R41, also known as the Old Randfontein road, from Kagiso towards Azaadville when a vehicle in the opposite lane allegedly signalled the taxi to pull over.

The driver and the front passenger then got out of the taxi and noticed that the back of it was on fire.

They allegedly tried to extinguish the fire with sand from the side of the road, but the vehicle burst into flames with the boy still stuck inside.

The boy, who was from Mnadini in Tshepisong West, and a pupil at the Itireleng Special School, burnt to death as the driver and passenger stood helplessly watching.

“The Mogale City Traffic Department would like to send its condolences to the family, school and community with regard to the incident. We will make sure that each and every public transport vehicle is equipped with a fire extinguisher, even if we have to stop and search every last one,” Mogale City Traffic Department chief, Papi Motaung, said.

The case has been handed over to the Kagiso Police Station for further investigation.

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