Family relieved blue light case is over

Johannesburg - The family of Thomas Ferreira, who was knocked off his bike by blue light driver Joseph Motsamai Semitjie and suffered head injuries, said on Wednesday they were relieved the trial was over.

"Our lives have been destroyed, nothing is going to change what's happened. But we're relieved that this is over and we don't have to come to court again," said Thomas' mother, Priscilla Ferreira outside the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court.

She was accompanied her husband Paul Ferreira.

Magistrate Abdul Khan sentenced Semitjie to five years for "destroying" young Ferreira's life.

On the first charge of reckless or negligent driving, Magistrate Abdul Khan sentenced him to four years behind bars.

Half this sentence was suspended for four years.

On the other two charges, which relate to his failure to stop at the accident scene and provide help, he was sentenced to three years' jail.

The sentences would run concurrently.

In December 2013, Semitjie was convicted of reckless or negligent driving and failure to help an injured person after he skipped a red light and knocked Ferreira off his motorbike.

Ferreira, who was 18 at the time in November 2011, suffered head injuries and was comatose for weeks. Semitjie was driving then Gauteng housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi to a meeting at the time.

Khan said the sentence should be a deterrent for other road users who wanted to break the law.