Three children drown at waterlogged Pretoria park

Three young boys have drowned at a waterlogged park in Pretoria after presumably going swimming following heavy rains in the area.

According to Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso, the children drowned at a park in Refentse, formerly known as Stinkwater, around 12:00 on Thursday.

Mabaso said that by the time paramedics arrived, the bodies of two boys – aged 8 and 9 – had already been recovered by members of the community.

“A third body was recovered by emergency services personnel after a family claimed that their child was missing,” he said.

The names of the deceased children are brothers Keamogetswe, 8, and Keatlegile Baloyi, 10.

“The third child’s details are still unknown to me,” Mabaso said.

He called upon residents to avoid swimming at the park, as the water not only posed a drowning risk, but a health hazard too. The department sent its condolences to the families of the bereaved.

According to the Stats SA Mortality and Cause of death report, drownings made up 4.1% (1 411 cases) of deaths due to external causes of accidental injury in 2016.

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