Resort fined for boy's death
2013-03-08 10:14
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Johannesburg
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Johannesburg - The Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court has
fined the Stonehaven-on-Vaal resort R200 000 for culpable homicide, following
the electrocution of a 5-year-old boy, it was reported on Friday.
Beeld reported that Ruan Pieterse died in October 2012 after
a power box next to a jumping castle toppled over and landed on his legs when
he used its handle to pull himself upright after falling.
Stonehaven-on-Vaal director Rex Anderson, acting as its
legal representative, had admitted negligence, the newspaper reported.
Pieterse's mother Yolandi Enslin told Beeld no amount of
money would bring back her child.
"Even if the fine had been R1m or R10m, it won't bring
him back. It was all so unnecessary and preventable, if they had only taken
care of their equipment."
The newspaper reported that, according to the forensic
investigation conducted after the child's death, the earth leakage in the
distribution board was faulty and there was a continuous electrical current to
the power box.
Magistrate Willem Strydom reportedly said the high penalty
should serve as a warning to owners of public play areas to ensure that
playground areas were safe.
- SAPA