A Mitchells Plain family was rudely woken by a loud crash after a car drove into their lounge and a bedroom while they were sleeping.
Mom of four, Nicolette Cupido, has been living in her Eastridge home in Sycamore Street for 21 years and this is the fifth time a car has driven into her house.
“On 31 August around 1am, a black Mercedes-Benz drove into our home. This is the fifth time this has happened and it’s nothing new to us,” the widow says.
“We were all asleep at the time and I woke to the screams of my children.
“When I got up, I saw the car in our house, it went into the kids’ room after it entered through the lounge.
“Luckily nobody got hurt but our house was completely destroyed.”
Nicolette says the driver and his passenger were drunk and arrested on scene.
“I have a solid wall at the back of my house because of all the years of experiencing accidents on this corner,” she explains.
“The intersection has a circle which was put there four years ago to calm traffic but it hasn’t.”
Nicolette says she and her kids aged 23, 21, 18 and 13, are constantly on edge, especially when they hear the sound of screeching tyres.
“When we hear the sound of a speeding car or tyres braking, we all jump up from our seats and run away, that’s how bad it is already.”
The mom took her grievance to the Mitchells Plain Sub-Council office but says her pleas for help are falling on deaf ears.
She also needs help repairing her house and believes the City of Cape Town should assist because it’s a traffic issue on a public road.
“My husband died seven years ago, the house is privately owned and I assume that’s why ward councillor Solomon Philander hasn’t come out to assist us.”
SAPS’ Joseph Swartbooi confirms the incident.
“The circumstances surrounding an incident on 31 August in Sycamore Place in Eastridge are under investigation.
“Upon arrival of police, they found the wall and premises damaged.
“According to reports, the driver of a Mercedes-Benz drove into the wall.
“The suspect was arrested and detained.”