9.5.2013 Olerato Chiloane-Makena 9.5.2013 Olerato Chiloane-Makena
Pretoria - The Hammanskraal mother of a five-year-old boy killed in a hit-and-run incident earlier this month said she had forgiven the woman allegedly responsible for her son’s death.
“Although the woman has not had the decency to come and apologise to me for taking away my most precious belonging, I have forgiven her. I have given my worries to the Lord and it will help me get closure,” Reshoketswe Makena said.
Makena lost her son, Olerato Chiloane-Makena, after he was run over by a black Jeep Compass a week after his fifth birthday.
Olerato spent his last hours at his grandparents’ home in Block H Soshanguve, at a family reunion.
Later that day, tragedy struck when a woman, who was attending a party four houses away, hit Olerato while she was allegedly showing off to her friends in the Jeep. The SUV is said to belong to the wife of her married boyfriend.
Witnesses told the Pretoria News that Olerato was hit so hard he was flung several metres through the air. He was taken to the Ga-Rankuwa hospital 20km away but was declared dead on arrival.
The driver of the Jeep took off but handed herself over to police after she found out that they were looking for her.
Makena said she was very disappointed with the police investigation. “I’ve not heard anything from them. I don’t know how the investigation is progressing. I feel like I’ve been left in the dark,” she said.
Makena said she had taken some comfort from the church and knew that the only way to move forward was to be courageous and to forgive.
“We may not judge. We have to look deep within ourselves and reconcile and forgive because that is what God would want,” she said.
The driver of the Jeep appeared in the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court last week. She has been identified as Mantshole Phylister Moekwa, 22. She faces a charge of culpable homicide and was released on warning. The case was postponed to June 6.
The owner of the Jeep, who prefers to remain anonymous, said she was angry when she found out her car had been involved in the death of a young boy.
She said her husband dropped her off in Centurion on that Saturday morning and she spent the weekend with friends.
“I only heard about the accident on the Sunday. I was furious. My car is still at the police compound and I have transport problems now. All I want is for my car to be fixed and everything to return to normal.”
She had not been in contact with Makena as she did not have her telephone number but thought what had happened was unfair to the family. Makena said she would not attend court as the tardiness of the justice system would frustrate her.
Police spokesman Captain Solly Marindi said he could not provide any information about the investigation as it might compromise it.
Pretoria News