3 boys drown in eMbalenhle within a month
Despite these drownings in such a short time, children are still swimming in dangerous places, such as the incomplete excavated sewerage project in Ext 25 and the Ext 22 sewer dams, where three children drowned in 2018.
Three boys drowned in eMbalenhlenhle within a month.
The most recent death is that of Kgotso Lekeba (17), who drowned in a quarry where he joined five friends for a swim on January 18.
The team of Delta 1 Rescue Diving worked tirelessly to search for Kgotso’s body, which they found inside the murky waters of the quarry.
The emergency medical personnel on the scene declared Kgotso dead.
His heartbroken family told Ridge Times the last time they saw Kgotso was when he was doing his laundry and drinking tea. They did not know when he disappeared.
The body of a nine-year-old boy was found in the Welas River in eMbalenhle on the morning of January 8.
The boy drowned a day before when he played with his friends next to the river and ended up in the water.
Delta 1 divers, the community and the eMbalenhle Police searched for the child but did not find him.
The following morning, cattle herders discovered his body in the river.
Every role player was called to the scene.
A 15-year-old boy drowned in a dam in eMbalenhle on January 14.
The teen and four friends walked from Ext 15 to a dam near Ext 22 to spend the day fishing. The boy went for a swim and disappeared under the water. His friends ran to report the incident to their elders, who reported it to the police.
All role players were called to the scene. They eventually found his body, and he was certified dead.
The Mpumalanga police warned the community to be cautious in preventing drowning in eMbalenhle.
The police released a statement after Kgotso’s death, indicating he was the third drowning victim in eMbalenhle in January.
“We understand that because of the heat, people often seek relief in rivers, dams, lakes and water pools.
“It is crucial to remain extremely cautious and prioritise safety,” said the Mpumalanga SAPS acting provincial commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi.
Despite the three drownings in such a short time, children are still swimming in dangerous places, such as the incomplete excavated sewerage project in Ext 25 and the Ext 22 sewer dams, where three children drowned in 2018.
