A local church has called for the public to pray for the family of an 11-year-old girl, who died after hijackers ran over her while she hid under her mother's vehicle.
The incident happened outside a food outlet in Malvern on Wednesday night.
In a post by The Embassy Church, the child had been identified as Zarah Ramsamy.
The post read: "It is with deep sadness that we release the news of the death of 11-year-old Zara, daughter of Barnes and Shaida. She was killed in a carjacking in Malvern. Please uphold this precious family in prayer."
According to police sources, Zarah went to a food outlet with her parents, grandmother and two brothers at around 8.30pm. They were travelling in the mother's Toyota Fortuner.
"Her mom, dad and grandmother left the vehicle to go into the food outlet. While standing at the entrance of the food outlet, a silver vehicle with bright lights drove into the parking lot.
"Four armed men got off and one of them, armed with a rifle, stood at the suspects car, while three of them approached the woman at the entrance. They demanded the keys to her car," said the source.
The source said the daughter and sons saw what was happening and got out of the car. The sons ran away, but the daughter hid underneath the car.
“When the suspects got the keys, they jumped into the vehicle and as they drove off, they ran over the girl, who was hiding under the car. She was rushed to hospital in a serious condition."
The vehicle was recovered in Chesterville.
Kevin Pillay, chairperson of the Malvern CPF, said: “We were made aware of the incident by one of the CPF members, who lived next to the food outlet. He said he heard a lady screaming. I responded immediately and when I got there, it was heartbreaking as the details of the carjacking unfolded.
“Her mother was hysterical. She was screaming and running on the road, and she was covered in blood. Someone, who was at the scene, transported the child to the hospital with her dad. We had to call paramedics to assist with her mom. The girl was still alive when she left the scene but she was badly injured,” said Pillay.
Pillay said crime was escalating in Malvern.
“That vicinity on Main Road is a hotspot area. There are carjackings and hijackings occurring around the same time, just after 6pm."
He added: “There was a double shooting two weeks ago. Residents need to be more vigilant. We cannot let criminals take over our lives but what do we do? We can be on guard and vigilant but it can happen to anyone driving any vehicle."
Pillay said they engaged with senior management of the food outlet last night.
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, spokesperson for KZN police, said: “Police in Malvern are investigating cases of murder and carjacking following an incident in which an 11-year-old girl was run over by a vehicle, which was being hijacked at a parking lot of a fast food outlet in Malvern. The victim was conveyed to a nearby hospital for medical attention where she was declared dead on arrival.”