An investigation is underway to confirm the circumstances of a police van crash in Delft, in which an 11-year-old girl died.

The child, identified as Namhla Nondala, is said to have been with two other children in Sandlehout Street when they were allegedly struck by a marked police vehicle.

The two children, both 10 years old, were taken to a nearby medical facility, while Namhla was declared dead on the scene.

Police watchdog, IPID, says the officers are said to have been en route to respond to a complaint in the area when they swerved away from an oncoming taxi, crashing into the wendy house where the children were.

“It alleged that on 4/10/2025 at around 18h30, three SAPS members from Delft SAPS were driving a marked police vehicle on route to attend a complaint of murder in progress. When the members were driving down Sandlehout Street, a taxi allegedly came in the opposite direction, toward the police vehicle. The driver of the police vehicle allegedly swerved out of the way of the taxi and drove into a wendy house in the same street, and into three children” said IPID spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping.

Subsequently, the officers in the vehicle were allegedly attacked by residents, and their vehicle was torched.

“IPID took control of the crime scene after the situation was normalised and the community calmed down,” said Shuping.

A case of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving is being investigated by IPID.

Namhla’s grandmother has told GroundUP that she and the other children were apparently making their way to the shop at the time of the incident.

The MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, had shared her condolences with Namhla’s family.

“I urge communities not to take the law into their own hands or destroy vital state resources in moments of frustration, as such actions undermine policing efforts in areas already struggling with high levels of violent crime,” said Marias.

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This article has been updated to include additional information.