Emotional send-off for three Ratanda children
The three boys that died after being allegedly poisoned was laid to rest over the weekend.
On June 4, the funeral for the three boys allegedly poisoned by their father was held in Ratanda.
The three boys died on May 26 after ingesting a substance allegedly given to them by their father.
A fourth brother is still in hospital after digesting the same substance.
The funeral proceedings were held at the Ratanda Multipurpose Hall where community members, school friends, teachers, family and guest speakers bid farewell to the boys.
Various speakers took their turn to address the community.
The main topic and message was ‘You are not done. Better things are yet to come. Focus positives and let go of the negatives.’
One of the speakers, Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, told the attendances that the deaths of the children are difficult to understand.
Lesufi said the loss was especially difficult for learners, “Instead of congratulating our children on academic performance, we are going through a funeral procession.
“Instead of discussing performance-related to academic and sporting activities, we are comforting our small boys and girls to accept death.
“Now we must bid farewell to those that we love,” Lesufi said.
Lesufi further called for the restriction of the poison that is used for rats in general.
Other speakers included the LLM executive mayor Mluleki Nkosi, the principals of Ratanda Primary and Khanya Lesedi Secondary School and various religious leaders in the community.
The father of the boys is still under police guard in hospital.
He has been charged and will be in court in the near future.
