Residents react to child’s drowning
According to the Bedfordview SAPS spokesperson, Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabath, the three-year-old child was on a preschool outing when the incident took place.
The drowning of Banele Manyama at Gillooy’s Farm has left residents shocked and saddened.
Residents took to social media to voice their views about the incident.
Ms Angela Clair Smith said, “Oh no, that’s so sad. Parents need to be more vigilant. [My son] is now six years old and I don’t leave him unattended feeding the ducks or anywhere in the park. It’s too unsafe these days. Saying that, I know children also like to disappear on their parents, so my heart goes out to them whatever the circumstances.”
According to the Bedfordview SAPS spokesperson, Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabath, the three-year-old child was on a preschool outing when the incident took place.
Mr Lesley Peebles Clark said, “Who had the brilliant idea of taking a group of toddlers to an area where there was open water? Seriously?”
The NEWS reported last week that Mr Graham Dickson, the owner of the Mrs Sippi Blues restaurant at Gillooly’s Farm, phoned CAP Security who dispatched trauma doctors to the scene. The doctors were on-scene within 10 minutes.
At the time, Mr Dickson said despite the fact that paramedics didn’t give up on the the child, they declared him dead after an hour on the scene.
“While the doctors arrived at the scene quickly, it took the pathology unit hours to arrive and remove the child’s body, which was disturbing,” said Mr Dickson.
Meanwhile, a preschool caregiver who also works as a nanny in Bedford Gardens, told the NEWS that it was unfair to judge the caregivers concerned in this case.
“When you work with children, you develop a certain bond with them and they also start to trust you. I doubt these women left home with the intention to lose one of their children. It’s easy for people to point fingers and cry negligence, but sometimes things just happen,” said the woman.
Another caregiver said it is always important for people to keep an eye on the children in their care.
She said, “Children are not responsible. If you take them to an area that could be potentially dangerous, keep them on your watch all the time.”
It is believed there were six caregivers taking care of the group at the time of the incident.
“Unfortunately, the child seemed to have been in the water for about 20 minutes or so,” said Mr Dickson.
