A MANENBERG mom has been left shattered after her 7-year-old son was butchered by a train on Tuesday morning while playing with friends on the railway tracks.
Nkosinathi Biyana, a Grade 1 learner at Luzuko Primary School left his Tambo Village home with friends and was later found his mangled body in Area Central between Nyanga and Heideveld.
His heartbroken mother Hazel Biyana said Nkosinathi was her baby, as she and the boy's 16 year old sibling mourn his tragic passing.
The mother explains: “I was at home and Nkosinathi was playing with his friends in the yard. I did not know that they left to go play outside. I was not aware they left and I also did not go outside to check because they would also play in the street.
"The friends of my child came to tell us that Nkosinathi was hit by the train and that we must go there.
"It was the first time [that she heard of him going near the tracks], so I am not sure what they were doing that side. There is not even fence at the railway.
"This has been a difficult time for the family because the forensics did not take all the body parts. The next day my brother went back to the scene to check and saw my son’s finger lying there, we took it to the police station. This incident has left us all so traumatised."
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident and said the train was en route from Cape Town when the incident occurred,
He reports: “Manenberg SAPS opened an Inquest docket for further investigation following a fatal accident whereby a seven year old boy was struck and fatally wounded by a train at about 1.50pm on Tuesday, 29 April 2025.
"The boy was declared as deceased by medical personnel on scene. The circumstances forms part of ongoing investigation.”
Zinobulali Mihi, spokesperson for the Western Cape Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (Prasa) says: “Our Protection Services department just confirmed the incident involving a minor [Tuesday] afternoon.
"According to the details, the minor was struck by a train, while crossing the railway line. There are no further details as this is under investigation. This happened in Area Central, between Nyanga and Heideveld."