Emotional service for victim of hit-and-run

[caption id="attachment_87876" align="alignright" width="300"] SAD DAY: Rhodes University vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela offers his condolences to Khanya Ndimba's mother, Khumbuza Ndimba, at yesterday's memorial service Picture: DAVID MACGREGOR -[/caption]

THE family of a promising Rhodes University student who was killed in an early morning hit-and-run accident has slammed the driver for leaving her behind to die.

Khanya Ndimba’s uncle, Lungile Columbus Notshe, told mourners at a memorial service held at the Chapel of St Mary and All Angels in Grahamstown yesterday that her death was completely unwarranted.

“Why was the driver of the vehicle that killed her so callous and barbaric to hit her and run away?” he asked. “It is still a mystery that only he can explain to us.”

The 20-year-old third-year commerce student had been studying in the campus library and was walking back from a 24-hour petrol station in town where she bought snacks with friends when she was hit by a car that was allegedly speeding to overtake another vehicle in the early hours of Saturday.

Although the alleged driver, thirdyear Rhodes student Robert Gary White, 20, stopped after he hit Ndimba, he reportedly fled on foot with a passenger and only handed himself over to police 11 hours later.

White, from Durban, appeared in court on Monday on charges of culpable homicide and fleeing the scene of an accident. He was released on R500 bail after the case was postponed to July 21.

Ndimba’s uncle praised Rhodes for being a caring university and staff and students for “putting time aside to be with us in this hour of need”.

The Fernglen, Port Elizabeth, student would have turned 21 on Monday. Instead, her funeral will take place tomorrow morning at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton. -David Macgregor