Killarney Race Track

Killarney Race Track (Milnerton, Cape Town)

The Killarney Race Track is situated in the Killarney area of Milnerton, Cape Town.

History

Killarney Race Track was first raced on in 1947. In 1959/60 Killarney Race Track was rebuilt to conform with the standard for the 1500cc Formula One cars of the time. On 1st January 1960 the Cape Grand Prix was held at Killarney.

Boy electrocuted at Killarney

In 2002 a 12-year-old boy died after being electrocuted at the track. The mother of the child is now (May 2006) suing for R968 727 in damages; comprising her son's medical and funeral expenses, counselling for herself, and general damages for stress, grief, depression, anxiety and inability to work. Her action has been brought against the City of Cape Town and Western Province Motor Club (it runs the Killarney motor racing circuit), the chairman of the club, chairman of the club's sub-committee and one of its members.

According to the claim the mother filed with the Cape High Court in July 2005, her son was allegedly electrocuted at the motor racing track on the 8th June 2002, when a metal boom he was holding made contact with an overhead cable. She alleges the defendants were negligent in allowing the boom to be put up in a way that it made contact with the cable when it opened. She says the boom did not comply with the minimum safety clearance set down in the Occupational Health and Safety Act. She also alleges the defendants did not ensure a health and safety representative was designated for the area, and that the boom was installed without local authority approval.

The Western Province Motor Club denies negligence and argues that the boom was installed by a contractor under the authority of the karting sub-committee.

The City of Cape Town says that the particulars of claim are "vague and embarrassing".

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(Milnerton, Cape Town)