Toddler drowns meters away from his home
"The community next to the stream must take precautionary measures and prevent their children from playing near the stream."
Residents from the Walter Sisulu informal settlement in Kliptown were left traumatised after discovering that a well-known toddler from the area drowned in the stream that passes through the informal settlement.
The incident happened around 2 pm on August 3. According to Hitler Ngwenya, the Kliptown Police Station communications officer, four children were playing close to the stream when the incident occurred.
“A passer-by noticed the children playing close to the water and two of them accidentally fell in. The passer-by then jumped into the water and tried to save the two, but he was only successful in saving one child because the current was too strong,” said Ngwenya.
“I can confirm that the children were all between the ages of one- and four years old,” he added.
Rescue teams were immediately called to the scene to find the drowning victim who was washed away. South African Police Service (SAPS) water wing, SAPS air wing and Emergency Management Services, were at the scene every day in hopes that they would find the little boy.
EMS officials said that they would not stop looking until they find the little boy’s body. “What happened is truly a tragedy and we will do everything we can to find him,” they said.
Ngwenya confirmed that a missing person’s docket was opened and that the search for the little boy continued.
“The community next to the stream must take precautionary measures and prevent their children from playing near the stream. This stream is dangerous,” he said.
Ngwenya also confirmed that this was not the first incident of its kind, “Just last year, a body was retrieved from the very same stream,” he said.
The passer-by who managed to save the other toddler was rushed to the hospital and received treatment for the skin rash and blisters he contracted from the contaminated water.
The other toddler was also taken to the hospital and both are recovering at home.
When asking the residents what their thoughts were about the incident, this was their response: “When will the government realise that living so close to this stream is not safe?
“How many bodies should be found until the community and its leaders stand up. Our children are getting killed at this stream. We need a safer place to stay.”
However, many have stated that parents are responsible for the safety of their own children and that the government cannot be blamed in this instance.
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