Six-year-old boy 'driven over by farmer' might miss last academic term

The six-year-old grade R boy who a farmer allegedly drove over on September 20 in the Western Cape might not be able to attend the last academic term. 

This is according to the executive director of the rural and farmworkers development organisation, Billy Claasen, who has been in touch with the family and providing them with  support.

Claasen told TimesLIVE on Tuesday that Khwezi Jantjies was transferred to Vredendal Hospital last Friday after undergoing an operation on his legs at a Paarl hospital. He said the boy possibly faces a long road to recovery which might make it impossible for him to return to school soon. According to Claasen, his teachers said he had done well throughout the year and they would possibly push him to grade 1 next year.

He said Jantjies' family are yet to receive counselling after he was knocked over by a bakkie, breaking both his legs, for allegedly stealing an orange from a farm.

The minor was walking with his mother, Magdalene Jantjies, on September 20 when 70-year-old farmer Christoffel Stoman allegedly drove into the boy after he reportedly stole an orange from his farm. 

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said Lutzville police station has registered an attempted murder and reckless and negligent driving case for further investigation. 

“It is alleged the child and his mother were walking on Station Road in Lutzville at about noon on September 20 when the 70-year-old driver of a vehicle pulling a trailer drove straight towards them, hitting the boy and driving over him,” said Pojie. 

Claasen said: “We are in the process of asking the department of social development to assist the family with counselling. Should they not be willing to do it we are going to make use of private counsellors and see how we can reimburse them.” 

He said Khwezi is doing much better after his operation but must go through physiotherapy 

Stoman appeared in the Vredendal magistrate’s court on Monday, where proceedings for his bail application were heard.

On the day, the court heard testimony from his wife Magdalene Stoman and his brother-in-law Alain Grobelar.

Grobelar, an 80-year-old retired police officer who completed a course in road accidents in 1966, said he went to the scene to take measurements.

He denied that he interfered to help his brother-in-law, and said as a former police officer he wanted to ensure the law takes its course.

Prosecutor Thandiwe Gonyela told the court Grobelar went to the scene to undermine the criminal justice system and the investigation, and wanted to create an impression that police officials were “incompetent and did not investigate properly”.

Magadalene, 75, said she was in the vehicle with her husband and grandchild on the day of the incident. She said they were on their way home from a doctor’s appointment in Cape Town as she and her husband suffer from cancer and other illnesses.

She told the court she saw Khwezi and his mother next to their property. She said she told Stoman to stop the vehicle after seeing the minor’s hands through their fence.

The court heard she screamed when she saw Khwezi was under the vehicle and told Stoman to reverse. When they got out of the vehicle, they saw the minor was under the front bumper.

Magdalene asked the child’s mother if she needed help, but she declined and travelled towards Lutzville. She said her husband was angry when he asked why they were taking oranges, but insisted she was not aware how Khwezi landed underneath the vehicle.

The case was postponed to October 4 for the continuation of the bail application.

TimesLIVE