The police in Thohoyandou have sent a warning to the community not to venture into rivers to swim and fish.
The warning comes amidst the recent spate of drownings while people were swimming and fishing at dams and surrounding rivers. The spate of drownings has been attributed to the scorching heat and rising temperatures that continue unabated.
Last Sunday saw police divers having their hands full, attending three drowning scenes. Drownings were reported at Hamutsha, where a 20-year-old man drowned while swimming in a swimming pool, at Maniini, where a 22-year-old man drowned in a river, and at Duthuni, where the 23-year-old Khumbudzo Netshidavhini of Itsani drowned.
After finishing his work on Saturday at the local brewery depot in Shayandima, the first thing Khumbudzo Netshidavhini thought of going to visit his sister at Duthuni. Netshidavhini and his younger sister became orphans when their parents passed away some years ago.
As the heat surged and temperatures climbed, Netshidavhini thought of taking a cool dip at the nearby dam. While in the water, Netshidavhini experienced difficulties and disappeared in the deep waters.
News of his drowning spread throughout the village and neighbouring villages, with community members coming in their numbers to help in the search. Police divers and emergency service officials joined the search and combed the dam for the whole day. The body was finally spotted in the dam around 19:00.
The police in the Thohoyandou area say they are alarmed by the rising number of people who drown during this time of the year. "As police we appealing to the community not to venture into rivers and dams to cool themselves off. Besides the risk of drowning, rivers are swarming with very dangerous crocodiles and other animals that could pose a danger to them. We are worried that now that schools are about to close, the numbers of drownings could increase because of the scorching heat," said Const Avhafarei Tshiovhe of the Thohoyandou police.