POLOKWANE – The Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has strongly urged parents and guardians to take care of their children following a drowning incident in Seshego yesterday (August 13).
Kotsema Ramaru (9) and Kubu Mashilo (12) from Seshego Zone 5 drowned when the make-shift boat they were in capsized in the Seshego Dam.
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Police spokesperson Lt Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the boys were swimming with their friends when the incident happened.
“The information at our disposal is that the boys were swimming and crossing the dam using white foam props as flotation devices, an occurrence which is said to be a usual practice in the area. The unfortunate situation happened when the ‘boat’ capsized in the middle of the dam and both boys drowned,” he said.
SAPS Search and Rescue members were called to the scene and divers managed to retrieve the body of one of the boys yesterday.
“The teams resumed their search for the remaining body this morning (August 14). Parents are urged to ensure that their children do not engage in swimming activities unsupervised and must be wary of this dam as several drowning incidents were reported in the area in the past,” Ledwaba said.
The MEC for Social Development, Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola has urged parents to know the whereabouts of their children at all times.
“We reiterate our call to parents, especially of young children, to not leave them unsupervised or unattended. We are gradually experiencing warmer weather and the rainy season will soon start and children will want to swim. It is, however, not safe to negotiate deep and murky water like dams, even for children and adults who are strong swimmers,” he said.
Masemola said social workers will be dispatched to offer counselling and support to the affected families.
