A mother was overcome with emotions on Tuesday when she came face to face with an alleged drunk driver who allegedly caused the accident that killed her five-year-old daughter in 2021.
Joseph Hebron Maponya made his first appearance in the Middelburg magistrate's court, more than 18 months after he allegedly caused the car crash that killed Amé Jansen van Rensburg.
Maponya faces charges of culpable homicide, and reckless and negligent driving as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.
“For a year and seven months, the name Joseph Maponya was a name that only meant sadness and grief to us. But today I could put a face to that name. It hurts my heart bitterly that it had to take so long to get to this point. Now all the plasters on our hearts have been ripped off and the raw hurt is exposed once again,” said Nadia Jansen van Rensburg, Ame’s mother.
She approached AfriForum’s private prosecution unit in October 2021, a month after the car crash on September 26 that claimed the life of her daughter and left her with a broken arm.
AfriForum said on the day of the accident, Jansen van Rensburg, her husband, their son Flippie and Amé were driving to Middelburg. Both children were strapped into their car seats.
It is alleged that Maponya, in a red vehicle, crossed over the barrier line and into oncoming traffic. The husband swerved to avoid a head-on collision but their bakkie rolled and Amé was killed.
It is alleged Maponya fled the scene of the accident, but was apprehended and brought back to the scene where he was handed over to the police.
“It is alleged that Maponya was visibly intoxicated,” said AfriForum's spokesperson Ischke van Eeden.
The case was delayed because of outstanding blood alcohol results, even though eyewitnesses reported having seen Maponya in a visibly intoxicated state. She said the private prosecution unit continued applying pressure on the National Prosecuting Unit until the matter was finally enrolled.
The case was postponed until May 19, a day before Amé would have turned seven.
“Instead of me standing in the kitchen on May 19 baking a cake for my daughter’s seventh birthday, which would have been on the twentieth, I’ll be sitting in court,” said Jansen van Rensburg.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Driver who allegedly caused crash that killed girl, 5, in court 18 months later
Image: 123RF
A mother was overcome with emotions on Tuesday when she came face to face with an alleged drunk driver who allegedly caused the accident that killed her five-year-old daughter in 2021.
Joseph Hebron Maponya made his first appearance in the Middelburg magistrate's court, more than 18 months after he allegedly caused the car crash that killed Amé Jansen van Rensburg.
Maponya faces charges of culpable homicide, and reckless and negligent driving as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.
“For a year and seven months, the name Joseph Maponya was a name that only meant sadness and grief to us. But today I could put a face to that name. It hurts my heart bitterly that it had to take so long to get to this point. Now all the plasters on our hearts have been ripped off and the raw hurt is exposed once again,” said Nadia Jansen van Rensburg, Ame’s mother.
She approached AfriForum’s private prosecution unit in October 2021, a month after the car crash on September 26 that claimed the life of her daughter and left her with a broken arm.
AfriForum said on the day of the accident, Jansen van Rensburg, her husband, their son Flippie and Amé were driving to Middelburg. Both children were strapped into their car seats.
It is alleged that Maponya, in a red vehicle, crossed over the barrier line and into oncoming traffic. The husband swerved to avoid a head-on collision but their bakkie rolled and Amé was killed.
It is alleged Maponya fled the scene of the accident, but was apprehended and brought back to the scene where he was handed over to the police.
“It is alleged that Maponya was visibly intoxicated,” said AfriForum's spokesperson Ischke van Eeden.
The case was delayed because of outstanding blood alcohol results, even though eyewitnesses reported having seen Maponya in a visibly intoxicated state. She said the private prosecution unit continued applying pressure on the National Prosecuting Unit until the matter was finally enrolled.
The case was postponed until May 19, a day before Amé would have turned seven.
“Instead of me standing in the kitchen on May 19 baking a cake for my daughter’s seventh birthday, which would have been on the twentieth, I’ll be sitting in court,” said Jansen van Rensburg.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE
UKZN probing staff's alleged involvement in recent campus crimes
POLL | Would you turn in a loved one who has committed a crime?
Armed men storm clinic and flee with medicines and medical equipment
Convicted rapist and sex trafficker Gerhard Ackerman 'exploited the vulnerable state of children'
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos