Children’s dangerous game
ALEXANDRA - Children in the Westbank area of Alexandra are dicing with death on the Jukskei River.
Children in the Westbank area of Alexandra are skating on thin ice as they dice with death while playing and attempting to cross the Jukskei River using a sewerage pipe that crosses the river.
Alex News was alerted to the potentially deadly game by a concerned resident, Joe-Joe Boshomane who took the pictures of the children and voiced his concerns about what he described as “a tragedy waiting to happen”.
“Please view the following photos,” he wrote to Alex News. “I am concerned about the children playing and attempting to cross the Jukskei River using a sewerage pipe that runs across the river. Children as young as six to 10 years dice with death daily on this pipe.
“They play games and attempt to cross the river using this pipe. Below the pipe are rocks and other dangerous items, such that if the child slips from this thin pipe and falls off, there will be a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude. A child’s skull could burst open on impact with those rocks.”
Boshomane said this children’s dangerous game had been happening for sometime but “we need to put a stop to it by fencing off the area or putting some safety measures in place. Maybe we can put up a barbed wire fence or something to seal off the area which residents cannot steal,” he added.
Councillor Lillian Kekana of Ward 109, speaking on behalf of fellow councillor Joyce Ngwenya of 105, said she would assess the area and recommend the appropriate steps that need to be taken.
“I am taking responsibility in the absence of the ward councillor for the area, who is away on a family bereavement. The area does not… fall within my ward but nevertheless, I will check it out and recommend that appropriate action be taken to safeguard the place,” Kekana said.
