Sizani Grade 4s welcome fellow classmate back to school after hit and run

A Shaka’s Head child is lucky to be alive after he was knocked over by a car in a hit and run last month.

On hearing that their fellow Sizani Combined School classmate, Sbongakonke Maqabaza had been hospitalised with a broken leg and a sprained neck, Grade 4 pupils rallied to raise some R400, which was used to buy him pajamas and snacks.

Returning to school on Monday, Sbongakonke said he was overjoyed at the ‘get well’ letters friends had sent him while he was recovering, laughingly adding that he was ‘strong’.

Two of Sbongakonke’s friends, Phumlani Khumalo and Nhlanzeko Gabisa raised more than the asked R2, donating R30 each.

On August 1, the 11-year-old child was playing with friends in Shaka’s Head, sitting next to the road when a car came hurtling towards him.

His friends managed to get out of the way in time but he was not so lucky. The driver ran away.

A man known only as ‘David’ came to Sbongakonke’s rescue, taking the injured child to a clinic in Tongaat for treatment.

He was later taken to General Justice Gizenga Mpanza hospital in KwaDukuza.

Sbongakonke’s mother, Nomfezeko said she was thankful to God for looking out for her child while she was away in the Eastern Cape.

She returned home as soon as she heard of the accident.

“My child is strong, but I am glad that he is alive today,” she said.

Walking to his classroom with his friends on Monday, Sbongakonke showed that he was more than capable of being back at school, despite still walking with crutches.

English teacher, Rose Khuzwayo said Sbongakonke was one of the school’s brightest pupils, who volunteered to help in the school’s kitchen and was always on hand to fetch and carry for his teachers.

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