Durban – KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube shut down the go-kart establishment at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping indefinitely pending the outcome of the investigation into an incident that left a 15-year-old seriously injured and hospitalised.
Kristen Govender sustained spinal damage and was partially scalped after her hair became entangled during a go-kart ride last month.
She sustained a spinal fracture, some spinal cord damage and a torn aorta which led to a haemorrhage.
Dube-Ncube has ordered a full investigation into the incident to ensure that children are not exposed to such risks in the future.
“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.
“We have shut down the go-kart establishment at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping indefinitely pending the outcome of the investigation into the incident.
“We were also very disturbed to learn that when our teams went to inspect the area, they did not get co-operation from the management of the amusement park. We call on the police to leave no stone unturned in order to get to the bottom of this horrific incident,” said Premier Dube-Ncube.
She called on all businesses owning such entertainment facilities to ensure compliance and that all safety protocols were implemented.
“Patrons must also be given a full induction before participating. 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,” said Dube-Ncube.
Kirsten’s father Vernon Govender said his daughter was still in ICU but making small improvements.
“She is feeling better today. She moved her feet a little bit today and her toes, slow but steady improvement. She sat up on a sofa for a minute this morning with both feet on the floor. She couldn’t feel the floor or move her legs as yet. Emotionally she had a breakdown today so it took a long while to calm her down. She is still in the ICU as she is not out of the woods yet.”
Daily News