A trip to accompany her little daughter to the crèche nearly ended in tragedy when a young mother was hit by a taxi at Khubvi Village, north of Thohoyandou, on Thursday last week.

Elsie Ndou (19), who is in Grade 12 at Silemale High School, says she thanks God because she survived the unexpected incident.

She explained to Mirror what had happened, while paramedics were giving her first aid before she was rushed to Donald Fraser Hospital. "I had just accompanied my daughter, Ompha, to the local Tshikunda Community Crèche. I was not going to school that day, as I had to go to William Eddie Clinic, because I was suffering from tonsilitis. I was standing next to the road, near Ha-Benjie, when a taxi suddenly hit me. I then fell to the ground and suddenly the scene of the accident was full of people. Paramedics then came and assisted me. Thereafter, I was taken to hospital." Elsie suffered injuries to the left leg, head and ribs.

Meanwhile, the taxi driver, Ndivhoniswani Magwabeni, tells a different story: "I was on my way, driving towards Tshilama with a load of school kids when this woman suddenly rushed into the road with an umbrella. Although I was traveling at 60km per hour, I tried to warn her by hooting, but she continued coming towards me. I tried to avoid her but she jumped in the direction I was swerving to avoid her. My hooter was still sounding when I hit her. I am relieved that she is still alive."

An eyewitness, Solly Phungo says: "I was on my way to work when I heard a banging sound and suddenly, the woman was on the ground. There was a throng of people who suddenly converged at the scene. I consider the woman very lucky because the banging sound was very huge."