A horrific and shocking tragedy occurred as a two-year-old girl lost her life after two boys fell on her while horsing around. A report in this paper revealed that the little girl had been playing outside her father’s shop in the western suburbs. Her mother was with her. Two boys were jostling each other and running around, chasing each other down. They accidentally pushed the girl while running and yet, their foolhardy behaviour continued. Finally, they fell on the girl, crushing her. She was taken to hospital but declared dead before admission. The boys had been warned by the girl’s mother not to roughhouse it near her daughter but they ignored her.

This should be a lesson for all youngsters who are caught cavorting on our streets, often pushing and shoving each other in playful abandon on our footpaths or corners. One understands youthful energy and enthusiasm. This though should always be practised safely, in open spaces. In our city, where people barely have space to move on public roads, where heels are competing against wheels, this can result in an unforeseen tragedy.