Heartbroken Ekurhuleni family demands justice after girl's death
Faith Chifamba is mourning the loss of her 10-year-old daughter Blessing Onoh, who was struck by a car and killed on Good Friday, April 18.
The 41-year-old single mother told the Brakpan Herald that Blessing and her two sisters, aged 12 and 17, were returning home that afternoon after shopping at the Mall@Carnival.
Faith requested that the names of her other children not be disclosed.
The siblings were crossing Heidelberg Road, near the Airport Drive intersection, to catch a taxi when the driver of the car allegedly swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle.
According to the family, Blessing had almost safely reached the other side of the road when the car hit her.
The driver allegedly offered no assistance to the injured girl or her traumatised sisters and fled the scene.
'My child was lying under his car and he just drove away,' says an emotional Faith.
'There were motorists in three different cars that chased after him and caught him. He was then handed over to Brakpan police,' she says.
Faith adds that she is forever grateful to these strangers who assisted.
None of Faith's children had a cellphone with them at the time of the accident, and her 12-year-old daughter quickly hurried home.
'She came to fetch me while her older sister stayed with Blessing. She (the older sister) was trying to get motorists to stop and get help for Blessing,' says Faith.
Blessing would later be declared dead on the scene.
Faith described Blessing, who was a Grade Four learner at a school in Springs, as a gentle and loving child who cherished their relationship.
'She was such a sweet girl who loved her mommy,' said Faith.
The 48-year-old driver was arrested on a charge of culpable homicide and appeared in the Brakpan Magistrate's Court last Tuesday, where he was granted bail and the case was postponed to later this month.
The family is devastated that the man is out on bail because of his initial attempt to flee. They are demanding justice.
They are also heartbroken that Blessing's life has been reduced to the financial value of the bail amount.
There were claims that the man was an undocumented foreigner, but Brakpan police have confirmed that he is legally in the country.
The family met with an official from the Brakpan Magistrate's Court on Friday to better understand what transpired in court.
This meeting left them more hurt and confused as they were informed there was a watching brief acting on behalf of the family during Tuesday's court proceedings.
This legal practitioner allegedly told the prosecutor that the family did not oppose bail, which the family has denied.
Faith is adamant she was not approached by any lawyer or legal practitioner on the day, nor spoke with such a person.
Blessing's death has also sparked an outcry in the community and an online petition for immediate revocation of the man's bail is gaining traction.
The petitioners are also demanding full prosecution and appropriate charges against the man for fleeing the scene of a fatal accident.
The Brakpan Herald is awaiting comment from the National Prosecuting Authority.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
3 days ago
- The Herald
Improve protection of anti-corruption officials, whistle-blowers: Mkhize
Reforms to safeguard those who speak out and act against corruption must be urgently expedited. These are the sentiments of Cogta portfolio committee chair Dr Zweli Mkhize after the murder of Ekurhuleni senior auditor Mpho Mafole, who was gunned down on Monday while driving along the R23 in Esselen Park. Police found his body inside his vehicle, riddled with gunshot wounds. Mkhize said the nature of Mafole's work underscored the often dangerous responsibilities taken by people at the forefront of rooting out corruption in public institutions. 'The committee condemns this cowardly and violent act, as this not only threatens the lives of dedicated public servants but also seeks to intimidate and hinder efforts to build clean and accountable governance, particularly in our municipalities, where systemic failures persist,' he said. Mkhize said Mafole's killing was a stark reminder of the urgent need to strengthen the protection of whistle-blowers and anti-corruption officials, and that municipalities and the rest of the government should uphold the highest standards of financial oversight and integrity. The City of Ekurhuleni said the fatal shooting was a senseless act. Communications head, Phakamile Mbengashe said they were saddened, t and will work with authorities to find the perpetrators. He said the incident highlighted the importance of the city's safety measures. 'The safety and wellbeing of our employees remain our highest priority. The city has robust security measures in place at all its facilities, and continues to monitor the situation closely. C ounselling services will be made available to staff members affected by the loss,' he said. On Tuesday, f amily spokesperson Tebogo Mphuthi told Sowetan the family was desperate for answers. 'We don't know where to start or who to ask for answers. We were shocked that anyone could want to harm him.' SowetanLIVE
The Herald
27-06-2025
- The Herald
Senzo Meyiwa trial focuses on alleged intruder's gold tooth
The lead investigator in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Brig Bongani Gininda, has told the Pretoria high court that no medical records could be found confirming whether one of the accused, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, had a gold tooth. Gininda testified that he had made attempts during the investigation to access Mncube's medical records from the correctional facility to establish whether he had a gold tooth when he was admitted. However, the records were never located. He said that it came to his attention that gold teeth are not always surgically fitted and can also be worn as removable grills. This is after a picture depicting Mncube was beamed in court and Gininda described that in the picture Mncube appears to be smiling with a shiny object on his upper teeth resembling gold. Some of the occupants in the house had said one of the intruders in the Vosloorus home when Meyiwa was murdered had a gold tooth. Meyiwa was with his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo at her mother's house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, and they were relaxing over lunch and watching a soccer match with Kelly's sister Zandile, Zandile's then-boyfriend Twala, and two of Meyiwa's friends who were visiting from KwaZulu-Natal. The occupants of the house told police that two robbers entered, demanding cash and cellphones, before Meyiwa was shot in a scuffle with one of the intruders. Mncube, Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for Meyiwa's murder in October 2014. They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. On Thursday, Gininda also told the court that Twala was not a person of interest in the murder of the soccer star. This as advocate Charles Mnisi, representing Sibiya and Mncube, asked about the picture of bag of money found on Mncube, Twala and Kelly Khumalo's phones. He had testified that a similar picture depicting a bag of money was found on their phones. 'You cannot focus on a person as a person of interest solely because of one bag or one piece of evidence. When it comes to Miss Kelly Khumalo, and I've testified about this, there are number of things that came up that seem to point to her as being the trigger point, and that is why I then said she was then viewed, in so far as the investigation is concerned, as a person of interest and subsequent application for the J50.' Gininda previously testified that it had come up that Twala might have been the shooter, but he had to look at certain facts in the docket that led him to his conclusion that there were intruders. TimesLIVE
The Herald
26-06-2025
- The Herald
Ekurhuleni tuck shop owner killed 'after delivering food to his son'
A 45-year-old Mozambican who runs a tuck shop in Duduza, Zimu section, was hijacked and killed on Tuesday outside his shop after delivering food for his son. Ekurhuleni police spokesperson Capt Neldah Sekgobela said: 'His son alleged his father dropped off his supper and asked him to go fetch his phone which he forgot inside the house. As his son was getting the phone, he heard a gunshot coming from outside.' When the son returned outside, he found his father lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his head and his father's white Ford Ranger bakkie missing. Sekgobela confirmed the vehicle was later recovered by the Tsakane SAPS abandoned in Tsakane. No arrest has been made and the police have urged anyone with information to come forward. A case docket of hijacking and murder has been opened by the Duduza SAPS. TimesLIVE
