FISHERMAN Charlie Mantso says he saw missing Karabo Modimola (11) drowning from a distance.
It’s believed the boy drowned in the Apies River in Temba, Tshwane, at around 5pm on Monday, 14 November.
He had apparently gone to the river with seven other boys to collect coins thrown into the water and swim.
Charlie said he and other fishermen saw the boy being washed away by a strong current but they couldn’t do anything as it was very dangerous, so they called for help.
He said section oizangoma threw coins into the river as part of rituals.
Karabo’s uncle Solomon (46) said he was not aware the boys were going to the river.
“We are heartbroken as a family. He was a good child very bright at school,” he said.
Solomon said he hoped that section of the river would be fenced off as it was very dangerous.
“We were not aware the children went to the river to collect coins left by people performing rituals. What we know is that they sometimes went there to swim,” he said.
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Solomon said it was very stressful for the family that the body had not yet been found.
Search teams were still looking for the boy’s body.
City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesman Deputy Chief Charles Mabaso said they were notified of the incident on Monday at 7pm.
“The cops were on the scene, but a search could not be conducted because of poor visibility and fast-running water,” he said. and high riverbanks,”
The search was supposed to continue on Tuesday 15 November but had to be called off. Search teams are set to return on Wednesday, 16 November, after the search was called off on Tuesday.
