THE community of Motherwell is shocked after a grade 1 pupil drowned in a water pond on Thursday, 16 November.
Anganathi Butana (6) from Mpumalanga Primary School in Motherwell NU 9, Eastern Cape was swimming with his friends when he drowned.
Witness Mongezi Sonanzi (52) shared the concerning circumstances surrounding the incident.
"The water pond was formed after the recent heavy rains, and we normally chase children who come here from all corners of Motherwell to swim. The other day we raised concerns as neighbours that something tragic would happen as children were playing in the water,” he said.
Mongezi said despite efforts to chase children away, they kept coming back.
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“It was a fruitless exercise to chase them away as they would leave, and another group would come and play in the water. Children are writing exams and coming early from school, and the weather is always hot,” he said.
Mongezi said as the area lacks a swimming pool, kids continue to gather at the pond.
“The situation was made worse by the closure of the swimming pool due to vandalism, and children have no other place to swim,” said Mongezi.
Motherwell police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge confirmed that the body of a six-year-old boy was found by police divers at a scene in NU7.
"He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel after the body was retrieved from the water near Khulile Primary School.
"It's believed that a group of children were swimming in the catchment when the boy encountered difficulties underwater. Motherwell police have opened an inquest docket for further investigation," said Beetge.
When Daily Sun visited the family on Friday, 17 November, they were informed that his gogo and uncle went to the New Brighton mortuary to identify the body.
The boy was living with his gogo and uncle as his mother works in Cape Town.
