Drowning: Mermaid claims denied
The family of a Winterveldt boy purportedly killed by a mermaid surprised by rumours.
Relatives of a boy who drowned in a dam in Marikana on Thursday have rejected the notion that a mermaid killed him.
Mpho Shongwe (15) of the Winterveldt was found dead at a dam in Marikana after he was attacked by something bystanders described as a mermaid.
An elder from the family told Rekord on Friday they were not ready to speak to the media but expressed surprise at the rumours of a mermaid.
“The boy drowned. Where do people get reports about the mermaid? Give us time to mourn. Please respect that and leave,” an elderly man from the family said.
Police spokesperson Petunia Chabangu said the information gathered by police from witnesses might have been exaggerated.
According to Chabangu three boys, between the ages of 11 and 15, saw a woman near the dam at Marikana.
“The woman called them to come closer. She gave them R1 each and told them to come back there again the next day,” said Chabangu.
The three boys returned to the dam the next day.
“The story is that while they were busy talking to the woman, one of the kids saw that the woman was actually a fish from the waist downwards. He alerted the other kids and they all ran away,” said Chabangu.
As the kids tried to run away, the so-called mermaid was said to have grabbed Shongwe and pulled him in the dam, said Chabangu.
The other kids who managed to escape, alerted the elders in the community who immediately ran to the dam and found the young boy lying dead a few meters away from the dam.
Locals told Rekord that a woman believed to be a mermaid had been seen on the banks of the dam several times.
“We told the police about the mermaid. They are afraid to go there and investigate,” said Elsie Nhlapo.
Nhlapo said Shongwe was not the first person to be killed by the mamlambo.
“Three people that I am aware of, two kids and one adult were killed at the dam. Police have refused to go near the dam,” she said.
The community was expected to fence off the dam with a police tape to prevent people from moving closer.
Also read:
NEWSFLASH: Boy killed by mermaid
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