Siblings from eMbalenhle die after sharing breakfast

 Thato Makofane (9) and her big brother, Keamoketswe Makofane (13), mysteriously died within a short period of each other on Tuesday morning, November 9.

Although the children’s death certificates state that the cause of death is still under investigation, their mother, Ms Matlatsi Makofane, believes it may be related to their having a packet of instant noodles for breakfast.

According to their grandmother, Ms Winnie Makofane, the children shared a packet of instant noodles before leaving to school.

Thato left first for the bus stop to wait for the school bus.

Keamoketswe stayed behind because their mother was still assisting with an assignment that he was supposed to take to school.

After Keamoketswe received his assignment back from his mother, he followed his sister to the bus stop.

Ms Winnie Makofane said Keamoketswe came running back home after a few minutes to report that his sister had collapsed.

“We were shocked at what was happening. Their uncle took us in his car to the bus stop where we found Thato. We rushed her to the clinic at Ext 19.

“The nurses examined her, but it was too late. She was declared dead.”

Ms Makofane explained that they left Keamoketswe at home with his two-year-old brother while they rushed Thato to the clinic.

While the Makofanes were at the clinic, the children’s mother, Ms Matlatsi Makofane, phoned her friend, Ms Mantoa Motloung, to tell her about Thato and to ask her to check up on the other two kids at home.

When Ms Motloung opened the door to her friend’s house, she was shocked to find Keamoketswe on the floor.

“She immediately notified us. The uncle drove back home, collected Keamoketswe and also rushed with him to the clinic, but he was also declared dead,” said a mourning Ms Winnie Makofane.

She said that at this stage, they cannot say what caused the children’s death. They do not want to speculate about whether the noodles could have contributed to their deaths.

“We will have to wait for the post mortem results,” said Ms Winnie Makofane.

Both Thato and Keamoketswe were learners at Osizweni Primary School.

Keamoketswe was a Grade 7 learner and Thato was in Grade 4.

Const Busi Mthethwa, eMbalenhle Police spokesperson, said two inquest dockets were opened because of the different scenes where children died.

Hundreds of people, including learners and teachers from Osizweni Primary School, paid their last respects to Keamoketswe and Thato on Sunday, November 14.

The funeral service was held at K.I. Thwala Secondary School and the children were laid to rest in the Ext 14 cemetery in eMbalenhle.