Bonga a hero after saving boy from drowning
No one could have predicted that a fun day at a farm adventure park with families enjoying quad biking and swimming, could turn into a near tragedy.
That is what almost happened in Letsitele when a 14-year-old boy recently nearly drowned in a pool without any of the adults noticing.
Fortunately, a 9-year-old swimmer from Namakgale, Bonga Mathebula, was around to save the day.
According to Virginia Mathebula, Bonga’s mother, the park is visited by families to enjoy a fun day outside. “There was a group that was part of a party wearing all-white attire, playing music, and having a barbeque situated back from the pool. “Bonga went to the pool with his friend and sister and I was seated next to the pool just to make sure they are safe.
“When we got to the pool the 14-year-old boy was already in the pool swimming, moving around holding onto the wall of the pool. All of a sudden I heard Bonga crying out that someone is lying at the bottom of the pool. He went down to try and pull him out, but he was not able to bring him up. He surfaced again crying and said he was not able to do it on his own.”
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Fortunately, another teenager arrived to help Bonga drag the boy from the pool. The young man was unconscious, not breathing, and although he had opened his eyes, he was unresponsive. Mathebula started shouting for help trying to find out who the parents of the child were. Bystanders started CPR on him and they called an ambulance. He started responding and coughed water.
“When the paramedics arrived they told us that had he stayed below for two more minutes, he would have died,” Mathebula said. He was rushed to the hospital for medical attention. The mother of the child who was part of the party, was hysterical when she realised what had happened, Mathebula told the Herald.
Bonga’s mom said she wants to thank Dolphins Aquatic Swimming Club in Phalaborwa for teaching her son water skills and swimming. “He has always been part of swimming at his school, Kingfisher Private School, but only joined Dolphins about two months ago and I can already see the difference in his swimming.
“I want to thank Suné Smit his coach and everyone who has taught him and for recognising his potential,” she added. She concluded by encouraging other parents to start taking their children for swimming lessons, because it is a skill that saves life.
