THE group of residents wanted their children to grow up in a good environment and so gathered at different homes on Thursdays for prayer service.
But yesterday death came along when vandalised electrical wires electrocuted a child as his parents were praying inside.
The residents of Green village in Soweto gathered at the Phasa family’s home to pray, but just after they said amen a message came, saying a child had fainted.
The parents rushed out and found six-year-old Nkosinathi Mnguni still breathing, though heavily.
They rushed him to hospital.
Sadly, he died on the way.
His aunt, Nompumelelo Mavuso (33), said the children had tagged along to the prayer service and the adults were not worried about them.
They were playing outside, but the property had high walls and a gate.
“We suspect someone came in and left the gate open. The kids got a chance to go outside and were chasing each other.
“We suspect Nkosinathi ran past the electricity street pole and was hooked on his clothes by the live hanging wires. When he tried to remove them, he was electrocuted,” said Nompumelelo.
Nkosinathi’s other aunt, Lerato Mayisela (33), said Nkosinathi’s mother was finding it hard to accept. “We all are saddened. Nkosinathi had a bright future ahead of him but all that is gone,” she said.
Sydney Phasa (35), the owner of the house where prayers were held, said: “We have been reporting these vandalised street poles to City Power for a long time. They did nothing.”
A neighbour, Phindi Mnisi (53) said: “They were very quick to come and close it after the incident, though. We want them to account because if they had listened, this could have been prevented.”
City Power spokesman Sol Masolo said that they would investigate the incident.
“When City Power representatives arrived on site they found one of our streetlight poles vandalised. City Power technicians immediately closed the pole and made it safe.
“The matter is under preliminary investigation by the safety and labour departments,” he said.