City blamed for drowning of 3 boys in flood ditch
THE parents of three boys who drowned have lashed out at the City of Tshwane for failing to fence off the waterlogged park in Refentse, Hammanskraal, where they died.
While the city council is still investigating the incident, the families said they were weighing up their legal options.
The boys, Keatlegile Baloyi, 10, Keamogetse Baloyi, 8, and Romao Niguel, 8, drowned in a deep ditch full of water at the park in the area north of the city.
The grieving parents said yesterday that the deaths would have been averted had the City closed the park after heavy rains filled the ditch.
The City, they contend, was well aware of the danger posed by the deep pool of water, yet had done nothing to barricade it.
The water has since been drained. Mavis Baloyi, 48, the mother of Keamogetse and also Keatlegile’s grandmother, suffered a double blow.
“I lost my youngest child and my grandchild at the same time.
“This is all too much to take in,” she said.
The ditch in the park where the boys had been playing should have been cordoned off years ago or covered up, she said.
“This is irresponsible of the City of Tshwane, who must be blamed for what happened,” she said.
Romao’s father, Thomas Sibande, echoed her sentiments and said the City was supposed to have done something about the park.
For the Baloyi and Sibande families, they will never forget the tragic events of December 26.
“I went out for about 30 minutes to visit a neighbour and left the boys playing in the yard,” said Baloyi.
“Unfortunately, that was the last time I saw them.”
She said while she was with her neighbour, a girl rushed up to tell her the boys had fallen into the water. Stunned, she rushed to the park.
“I saw lots of people crowded around the water-filled ditch. Some were crying and screaming while pointing to the water, indicating the boys were in it.”
Baloyi said after waiting for about 45 minutes for professional divers, one of the family members got into the water. He managed to return with the bodies of Keatlegile and Romao, while Keamogetse’s body was retrieved by the divers.
According to Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso, the children drowned at about noon. He said when his team arrived on the scene, they found two bodies already recovered by members of the community.
They retrieved the third. Keatlegile’s father, Philemon Sithole, said he was in hospital recovering from a car accident when he received the terrible news.
City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo sent condolences to the families.
He said they acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and also understood the immediate reaction of the families and the broader community to the tragedy.
“The City will carefully investigate and look thoroughly into the incident as well as work with law-enforcement agencies to resolve the matter,” he said.
The families are considering their options, including taking legal action against the council.