An alleged drunk driver, Joseph Hebron Maponya, made his first appearance in the Middelburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, more than 18 months after he allegedly caused a car accident that killed five-year-old Amé Jansen van Rensburg.
Maponya faces charges of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Amé's mother, Nadia Jansen van Rensburg, approached Afriforum's Private Prosecution Unit in October 2021, a month after the accident.
A spokesperson for the Unit Barry Bateman says on the day of the accident the family was driving along the R555 en route to Middelburg, when Maponya, in a red vehicle, crossed over the barrier line and into oncoming traffic.
Bateman says when the father swerved out of the way to avoid a collision, his bakkie overturned.
It is alleged that Maponya fled the scene of the accident, but was followed, apprehended and brought back to the scene by an eyewitness where he was handed over to the police.
It is alleged that Maponya was visibly intoxicated.
When the unit intervened, the matter was delayed because of outstanding blood alcohol results.
The case was postponed to the 19th of May.
