Amidst tragedy, a woman bathing by the river heroically saved one boy, while two others tragically drowned in the waters of Ngwaritsi River.
The Masemola police in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune District have opened two inquest dockets following the tragic drowning of two boys in the Ngwaritsi River on Sunday.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, three boys, aged between nine and 14, had been walking towards the river with the intention of going fishing. However, a series of events led to the tragedy.
“Reports suggest that the youngest boy wanted to return home, but the oldest, a 14-year-old, insisted on continuing their trip to fish. He waded into the river but soon struggled to swim and tragically drowned,” Ledwaba explained.
In a desperate attempt to assist, one of the other boys also entered the water but was unable to save his friend and subsequently drowned as well.
A third boy, witnessing the disaster, was prevented from entering the river by a woman who was bathing nearby. Her screams alerted the community, and local residents quickly responded to the scene. They managed to retrieve the bodies of the two drowned boys from the water.
Emergency services declared the victims dead at the scene, and their bodies were recovered. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the drownings are underway.
Colonel Ledwaba emphasized the importance of supervision near bodies of water, urging parents and guardians to never leave children unsupervised while swimming or playing near rivers. “This tragic incident highlights the dangers that can occur when children are not closely monitored,” he said.
The local community has been left in shock, and authorities are working to ensure such incidents are prevented in the future.
