Sea baptism turns tragic
TWO St Paul’s Apostolic Faith Mission congregants and a member of the public drowned at Monwabisi Beach near Khayelitsha during a baptism ceremony yesterday.
The police diving unit had to suspend the search for the third man because of rough seas.
City of Cape Town’s law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said there were no lifeguards at the beach at the time of the drowning, as they start working at 10am.
Dyason said two members of the church got into difficulty while in the water, and a third person, who tried rescuing them, suffered the same fate at about 7.45am.
“All three of them drowned and only two bodies were recovered. All the role-players were at the scene. The search was called off in the late afternoon, but will be resumed to try and recover the remaining body,” said Dyason.
Dyason said the beach was a regular venue for baptisms and it remained open.
He has advised churches to alert officials whenever there are baptisms, in order to have lifeguards.
One of the bodies recovered was of 30-year-old Thembalipheli Klaas.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon conveyed condolences to the families.
Lambinon said two NSRI sea rescue craft, police drivers, fire and sea rescue divers and law enforcement responded to join a Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services fire truck that was already on the scene.
“It appears that the three men may have been swept out to sea by rip currents during a baptism ceremony in the surf,” he said.
A church member, Lucas Ngomane, said he had a bad feeling and decided not to be part of the baptism yesterday.
“We are all shocked and heartbroken. Every year we come here for baptisms, and this is the first incident.
“The three men have been assisting the pastor during this ceremony for years. The group of congregants that came here were the people that remained in the first baptism we had at the beginning of the year.
“We wanted to do the ceremony this Sunday, as next week we will be celebrating Easter,” said Ngomane.
Klaas’s uncle, Masiwakhe Adam, said he was at his Crossroads home when he received a call from the deceased’s mother, who lived in the Eastern Cape.
“It is disturbing to lose someone under these circumstances,” he said.
Police have opened an inquest for investigation.