Girl scalped by go-cart

2003-07-21 21:24

Ronel Bester

Cape Town - A 10-year-old girl's scalp was ripped off in a freak go-cart accident on Saturday afternoon.

Andrea Katzeff of Welgemoed got her long blonde hair caught in a go-cart axle at Canal Walk shopping centre.

Her mother Natalie Katzeff said her scalp was ripped off from her forehead to the back of her neck.

Katzeff on Monday said doctors had transplanted what was left of her scalp during an operation on Saturday. Andrea underwent another operation on Monday night in a bid to save her hairgrowth.

Indoor Grand Prix manager-owner Wayne Yates said Andrea's hair had been tied up in a ponytail and had presumably slipped out of her helmet.

He said a man had apparently bought Andrea a ticket and signed the required indemnity form. Drivers should be at least 1.3m tall.

A go-cart's axle lies about half a metre behind the driver's seat. "Her hair may have been caught in the axle because she's short," he said.

Witness Hannes Wiese, 16, of Parow North described seeing a blonde girl crash into the side of the track. She no longer wore and helmet and was screaming.

Katzeff said her daughter had gone to the centre with a friend and his mother. "I didn't know she'd be driving a go-cart. This can happen to other children too. These vehicles aren't bumper cars. I feel the safety precautions should be investigated."

- Die Burger