Two little sisters have been laid to rest after they were tragically hit by a taxi.
Nishaat Thomas, six, and her two-year-old sister Nurah were involved in the fatal accident on the corner of Merrydale and Wespoort Drive in Portlands, Mitchells Plain just after 4pm on Friday.
Their heartbroken parents Raihaana and Abduragmaan spoke to the Daily Voice while preparing to lay their last child to rest on Monday morning.
Nishaat died on impact and was buried on Saturday, while little Nurah passed away in hospital on Sunday.
According to Abduragmaan, 35, they were driving in his Opel Corsa when a Quantum taxi allegedly smashed into them just metres from their home as they returned from fetching Nurah at crèche.
It is alleged that the taxi driver had jumped a red robot.
“I remember the robot being amber as I reached the middle of the intersection when we were hit,” the grieving father says.
“I must’ve blacked out for a few minutes because when I woke up I found myself looking for my daughters.
“I saw Nishaat lying against the wall and looked for Nurah. The people on the scene said a truck driver who was behind me stopped and rushed her to hospital.
“I then ran with Nishaat to the hospital,” he adds.
Abduragmaan says the taxi driver, who was still behind the wheel of his loaded vehicle, got into an argument with his friend as he tried to start his van, apparently to leave the scene.
“The traffic cops only then arrested him and we also found out the guy doesn’t even have a licence.”
Raihaana, 38, says she was at work when she received the fateful phone call about her kids.
“They didn’t want to tell me what happened, they just said I must come home,” the mom recalls.
“They told me Nishaat died on impact and that Nurah had been rushed to Red Cross [War Memorial Children’s Hospital] with two broken legs and severe head injuries, but they told us that she was strong, a fighter, and that she would recover.”
Sadly, the girl passed away just hours after the family buried Nishaat. Raihaana adds: “She must’ve felt it, she felt that her older sister was no longer on earth and she needed to join her.
“That's how they were, they were inseparable. They always did everything together. They were both very happy, sweet, kind, lovable children.
The crying mother adds: “He [the driver] should pay for what he did, he should never see the light of day again, because this is a pain he’ll never understand.”
Spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi says Mitchells Plain SAPS are investigating a case of culpable homicide, while no arrests have been made.