Reiger Park community gathered on January 28 to pay its final respects to the brothers who lost their lives in what appears to be the result of a land subsidence incident in Reiger Park.
The two Goedehoop Primary School learners Wyatt Peters (7) and Nasri Trollip (9), along with other children, went for a swim in the ponds containing groundwater located in a mine area on January 20.
The family, however, became concerned after the two children failed to return home on Thursday, and they straight away went to the police station to report the matter.
According to the aggrieved mother of the boys, Chezelle Peters, the family with the help of friends and relatives initiated an investigation and a search was launched on Thursday night. They looked for them until late, but their extensive search proved unsuccessful.
The search resumed on Friday morning and further investigation led them to the mine dump where the boys were found dead.
It appeared that the brothers were trapped when the ground beneath the pond started sinking.
“When we arrived, I noticed their clothes and I realised they were there. The discovery was so devastating.
“Te situation created more questions than answers as to why the security guard failed to notice children playing in what is clearly a dangerous area or at least notice that not all the children left the site.”
Peters pointed out that emergency services had to pump the water and sludge out of the subsidence area to retrieve the bodies of her children.
The funeral came after a week of prayers and mourning within the close-knit section of the community, and a memorial service was held on January 23.
The pair was described as always respectful, obedient and well behaved.
Poor service
Amid the mourning, there was also frustration and anger as family and friends of the dead were not satisfied with the service received from the local police.
They accused the police of failing to immediately react to the reported disappearance of the boys after the case was opened on January 20.
The family says that due to the ‘delay’ on the part of the police to look for the children, they along with community members had to conduct their own investigation.
It was also claimed that the police failed to take part in the search. Instead, they only reacted after the children were found. It’s further alleged that after opening the case the family was told that an investigating officer would contact them the following morning, but that also didn’t happen.
The Reiger Park police have not yet responded to our request for comment on the matter at the time of going to press.
Safety concern
Ward 34 councillor Edith Klassen expressed her condolences to the bereaved family and added that the site where the children were found has become a safety concern for the community.
“I was at the scene myself and this is a sad situation. The tragedy has robbed us of young lives; we have lost our future leaders. Children should bury their parents, not the other way around. But God has his plans; we know everything comes from God.”
Klassen also called on the property owners and government to do something about the death trap bordering parts of the township.
“Children are children, and we can not blame them for this. This is not about the two children, but the whole community whose children are at high risk due to the property owners’ failure to secure their dangerous site.
“If there was enough security measures in place and barricaded, the children would not have entered the danger zone.
“This issue has become a public outcry, therefore, there has to be the responsibility from the owners.
“I’ve for a long time been trying to get the property owners to do something about it but to no avail.”
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