10-year-old swept away after trying to cross Kgopjane River

A ten-year-old boy lost his life after he tried to cross the Kgopjane River earlier this week following the recent heavy rainfall.

On Friday, 16 December 2022, the South African Police Service rescue and diving team –  working hand in hand with Maluti-a-Phofung Fire Department – were able to finally retrieve his body and bring closure to the family who had been searching for his body since Thursday (15 December).
He is said to have been making his way to Makong Village.

It was at approximately 12:45 pm that the police rescue team and the firefighting officials were informed of a missing boy and they started searching in the adjacent Mphokojane River.

Only after questioning the other young boys in the vicinity (the friends with whom he had walked on the day) did the officers manage to establish the point at which he fell into the Kgopjane River.  

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The team then rushed to the Kgopjane River near the Bolata Village where the boys crossed and found the body of the missing child trapped between tree branches.

An inquest docket has been registered for further investigation.

Second Free State resident found drowned in dam

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Welkom Divers and Rescue team retrieved the body of a man believed to be between the ages of 28 and 30 from the Sol Plaatjie dam on 16 December at around 2:30 pm.

According to police reports, the deceased is a male person who was wearing a charcoal tracksuit top and black tracksuit bottom with grey stripes on the side. He was declared dead by Emergency Medical Personnel.

It was reported that the body was noticed floating inside the dam by someone who tried to pull him out of the dam with a rope. Unfortunately, the deceased did not respond and the body eventually started to sink deeper into the water. It was then that the onlookers called the police to intervene. After the body was retrieved, an Inquest docket was opened.

The Bethlehem police have urged members of the public who might have any information that may lead to family or relatives of the deceased to contact the Bethlehem police station on 058 307 5700 or 082 527 6538.

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