An angry Mbokota family says it needs answers after a policeman attached to the Waterval police station allegedly knocked down and killed their nine-year-old daughter last week.

Vutlhari Advocate Mapengo was allegedly hit by a car along the Masekane Primary School road, while standing at the side of the road.

She was rushed to the nearby Elim Hospital, from where she was later transferred to the provincial hospital in Polokwane. Although she reached the provincial hospital in time, Vutlhari died the following day at the hospital.

What upsets the family the most is the fact that the police officer, who was only identified as Const Thilivhali Mulaudzi, allegedly "produced a gun at the scene of the accident when approached by the community. My granddaughter was standing at the side of the road when she was knocked down by the car," said the child's grandmother, Ms Nkhensani Vukeya.

She said that the police also promised to take action about the police officer concerned, but nothing has happened. "They did not even visit my family after the incident. It was hard to raise money to bury my granddaughter," she said. Vutlhari was a grade 4 pupil at Masekane primary.

The child's mother, Basani Vukeya, said that when they visited the police station on the day of the accident "we were promised that the man would be arrested, but he is still walking around freely."

She added that she would be happy if the police officer who had killed her daughter would be arrested. "I want to see justice done," said Basani.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Waterval police station, W/O Risimati Masonto, confirmed the incident. He said that the police had opened a case of reckless driving, which was later changed to a charge of culpable homicide. "We are also investigating the allegations levelled at Mulaudzi," Masonto said.

He added that the family should be patient while the investigation continued.