Elim: boy (16) drowns in stream
Police divers from Pretoria retrieve the body of Mbali Hlungwani who drowned in a stream at Shirley near Elim.
LIMPOPO – Police recovered the body of a 16-year-old boy who drowned in a stream when swimming with a friend at Shirley village near Elim recently.
A search in the water by some villagers were in vain until police divers from Pretoria arrived and retrieved the body on Tuesday.
Mbali Hlungwani’s death has left his family in anguish. His uncle, William Hlungwani said the family was struggling to cope with the loss.
Watervaal SAPS Spokesperson, Const Cynthia Ndou said an inquest has been opened.
She appealed to children to not play near dams and rivers.
Ndou called for more public education about the risks of swimming in the river.
“As the festive season approaches, drowning is an ever-present risk when people go on outings to rivers, beaches, dams and swimming pools.
“People should swim in designated areas that are supervised by lifeguards. Never leave a young child unattended near water and never make a child responsible for another child, not even for five minutes.
“Teach children to always ask permission to go near water,” she said.
Recently, an unidentified man drowned in the Nandoni Dam, which brought the number of deaths to 37 people since the dam was completed in 2007.
The latest victim is a 48-year-old man who allegedly drowned on Monday while fishing.
