Justice for Farren du Preez: Taxi driver appears in court a year after fatal accident

Progress is being made a year later in the matter of Farren du Preez, 19, who was killed in a taxi accident in Delft Main Road while on her way to work in March.

The taxi driver on Tuesday made his first appearance in the Bellville Magistrate's Court, with the case postponed to June 2. 

The family, who is longing for justice for her death, claim they are finally getting it a year later.

Sister, Myrna Claasen, said: "We are happy that there is a start in the case because a year has gone by already. In March, it was a year since she died."

Du Preez left her home in Roosendal, Delft, en route to work when the accident took place around 10am. 

She was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel and other victims were rushed to a medical facility.

According to an eyewitness, the taxi driver was allegedly speeding trying to overtake another taxi.

The witness explained: “I was walking from Belhar Mall when I saw the taxi which Farren was in overtake another taxi and then swerve to try and avoid the other [oncoming] taxi. Next thing I saw people flying out of the taxi and the taxi landed on top of two passengers, one of them being Farren. I suspect that they sat near the door because the door was off.”

At the time of the incident, Delft police had registered a culpable homicide case for investigation.

A family friend said they thought Du Preez was still waiting for a taxi as her work phoned to say that she never arrived at work and she was not answering her phone.

She said that they only realised what had happened when they arrived on the scene.

Cape Argus