The residents of Zamenkomste in the Kutama area are heartbroken after the drowning of a nine-year-old boy on 29 November.
Muano Ndou, a Grade 4 pupil at Mwungadi Primary School, met an untimely death while playing with a group of boys next to the Muegedzi River. According to an eyewitness, the boys were playing soccer when their ball landed in the deep end of the river. "Muano went in to fetch the ball, but got trapped in murky water. When his friends realised he was in trouble, they tried to save him but he was in too deep, so they decided to run to the village to call for help from the community and family members," the source said.
The police were called, but by the time they arrived at the scene, darkness had already fallen and the boy was nowhere to be found. The provincial police spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo, said they were investigating the incident. He appealed to children not to play alongside streams and on riverbanks, or swim without the supervision of older people. He said that the police were very concerned as more young people played around rivers and dams to cool off as the weather became hotter.
"The number of drowning cases in the province is increasing. This is of serious concern as the figure of fatalities in water continues to rise. One loss is one too many. Most of the victims drown in rivers, flowing streams or dams and a high percentage of the deceased are young people," said Mojapelo.
"We are urging the public to stay away from rivers, dams and places that are not designated for swimming. Many people also end up in the water while under the influence of alcohol. It hampers their judgement, leading to loss of life. Parents must help us and keep their children away from water if they don't know how to swim," said Mojapelo.
Muano will be buried on Sunday, 5 December, at Zamenkomste cemetery.