Manenberg – A mother from Manenberg is inconsolable after her seven-year-old son was tragically killed by a train on Tuesday afternoon while playing with friends near the railway tracks. Nkosinathi Biyana, a Grade 1 learner at Luzuko Primary School, had left his home in Tambo Village with friends and was later found with fatal injuries in Area Central, between Nyanga and Heideveld.
The heartbroken mother, Hazel Biyana, described Nkosinathi as her "baby," as she and his 16-year-old sibling mourn his untimely passing. The incident occurred on April 29, 2025, leaving the family and the local community reeling from the devastating loss.
Hazel Biyana recounted the events leading up to the tragedy, saying: "I was at home and Nkosinathi was playing with his friends in the yard. I did not know that they left to go play outside. I was not aware they left, and I also did not go outside to check because they would also play in the street."
The devastating news was delivered by Nkosinathi's friends, who rushed to inform the family that he had been struck by a train. "The friends of my child came to tell us that Nkosinathi was hit by the train and that we must go there," Hazel Biyana explained.
The grieving mother expressed her shock and disbelief, stating that she had never known Nkosinathi to venture near the railway tracks before. "It was the first time [that she heard of him going near the tracks], so I am not sure what they were doing that side," she said. She also highlighted the lack of fencing at the railway, raising concerns about the safety of children playing in the vicinity. "There is not even fence at the railway," she added.
The family's trauma has been further compounded by the fact that not all of Nkosinathi's remains were initially recovered from the scene. "This has been a difficult time for the family because the forensics did not take all the body parts," Hazel Biyana explained. "The next day my brother went back to the scene to check and saw my son’s finger lying there, we took it to the police station. This incident has left us all so traumatised."
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident and stated that Manenberg SAPS has opened an inquest docket for further investigation. "Manenberg SAPS opened an Inquest docket for further investigation following a fatal accident whereby a seven year old boy was struck and fatally wounded by a train at about 1.50pm on Tuesday, 29 April 2025," he said. "The boy was declared as deceased by medical personnel on scene. The circumstances form part of ongoing investigation."
Lieutenant-Colonel Pojie added that the train involved in the incident was en route from Cape Town at the time.
Zinobulali Mihi, spokesperson for the Western Cape Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (Prasa), also confirmed the incident. "Our Protection Services department just confirmed the incident involving a minor [Tuesday] afternoon," she said. "According to the details, the minor was struck by a train, while crossing the railway line. There are no further details as this is under investigation. This happened in Area Central, between Nyanga and Heideveld."
The tragic death of Nkosinathi Biyana has reignited concerns about the safety of children playing near railway lines in Manenberg and other communities. The lack of fencing and the potential for children to access the tracks pose a significant risk, and calls are growing for Prasa and local authorities to take urgent action to improve safety measures.
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