Africa-Press – South-Africa. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has ordered a full investigation into a go-karting accident at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga in December.
The incident left 15-year-old Kristen Govender with life-threatening injuries, including a torn aorta, damaged spine and torn scalp.
The teenager was enjoying a day out with her aunt, uncle and brother at Action Karting when her hair became entangled in the axle of a go-kart while she was on the track.
“We are on the eve of the start of the 2023 school year and we are saddened that this young girl will not be able to start the school year in the first term,” Dube-Ncube said.
“We have shut down the go-kart establishment at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping indefinitely, pending the outcome of the investigation into the incident,” she added.
Dube-Ncube said that she was “disturbed” to learn that staff at the go-karting centre had failed to cooperate with her team during an inspection of the facility.
She said:
According to Kristen’s father, Vernon, she is making slight improvements physically, but is having difficulty dealing with the situation emotionally.
“She is still in the ICU, as she is not out of the woods yet,” he added.
The premier called for safety protocols to be closely followed at similar recreational facilities.
“Profits should not be put forward at the expense of the lives of customers. We will be visiting similar establishments in shopping centres across the province to ensure compliance,” she said.
Gateway Theatre of Shopping and Action Karting did not respond at the time of publication. Their comments will be added once received.
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