South Africa: Mother and Baby Die Crossing Road to Reach Husband Killed Moments Before

A woman and her baby were killed on the N1 near Bela-Bela on Saturday after being struck by Health Minister Motsoaledi's official vehicle while crossing the road to reach her husband who had just died.

The woman's husband was allegedly struck and killed by an off-duty police officer moments earlier. Two separate culpable homicide cases are under investigation by IPID.

A mother left to find her husband and never came back. Neither did her baby.

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On Saturday afternoon on the N1 near Bela-Bela in Limpopo, a woman's husband was allegedly struck and killed by a vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer. He died at the scene.

The woman tried to cross the road with her two children to get to where her husband had just died. One child was strapped to her back.

As they crossed, the official vehicle of Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi struck them. The mother and the baby strapped to her back both died from their injuries. The third child survived.

The vehicle was being driven by a member of the Protection Security Services. Minister Motsoaledi was in the car. He and his close protector and driver stopped immediately and remained at the scene until police and emergency medical services arrived.

Two separate cases of culpable homicide are now under investigation. Both drivers are SAPS members, which means the Independent Police Investigative Directorate has taken over both cases.

The SAPS has extended condolences to the family.

One child crossed that road and made it to the other side. The family they were crossing to reach was gone before they got there.

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