Drag racers in court for killing four teens

JOHANNESBURG - Two men who killed four teenagers while allegedly drag racing in Soweto were expected to appear in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The men, one of whom is a well-known hip hop artist, were racing down the road which runs between Protea Glen and Protea North when they smashed into four boys walking home from school with two other friends.

The teenagers, aged between 17 and 19, were killed on the scene when the two Mini Coopers collided.

Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said: “It is a two-way street and one of the cars went into the other lane, driving in the lane of oncoming traffic, parallel to one another.”

When a car came from the other direction, the driver tried to swerve back into the right lane and crashed into the Mini he was allegedly racing.

“They both drove onto the pavement and mowed down the four young boys who were still in school uniform,” Mamonyane said.

The two speedsters would face charges of culpable homicide and negligent and reckless driving.

Local ward councillor and Inkatha Freedom Party Soweto leader, Dlangezwa Mvelase, said the community was “very angry” over the death of the four boys.

“The law must deal accordingly with people who play silly games on the roads, killing innocent children,” said Mvelase.

-Sapa