Two siblings drowned in a pit filled with water while playing in Bongweni village outside East London yesterday.
Police from the K-9 search and rescue unit were called to the scene shortly after 10am and found residents trying to resuscitate the children. They were both declared dead on the scene.
Five-year-old girl Alizwa Nono and her seven-year-old brother, Oyisa, were with three other children in the yard of resident Erick Gola when the tragedy occurred.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said according to statements taken on the scene, one of the siblings had slipped into the 1.5m deep pit. The other had tried to help but also fell in.
“At the moment we don’t know who fell into the pit first because there was no elderly person around when the incident occurred,” Mqala said.
She said an inquest docket was opened. Police suspected no foul play.
The children’s mother, 27-year-old Ncumisa Nono, collapsed when their bodies were taken away in the mortuary van. She had to be rushed to Empilweni Hospital to be treated for shock.
Gola said he was asleep and was woken up by two villagers who told him they had been passing by when the children called them over and told them about their friends who had fallen in the pit.
“I could not believe it, so I gave the two men permission to look in the pit,” Gola said.
“Five minutes later, they retrieved the body of a boy, followed by that of the girl. It was the worst sight in my life. We tried giving them CPR but we were too late.”
Gola, who is renovating his house, said he had recently dug the pit to make a toilet. He said the pit had been empty until recent heavy rainfalls.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the house yesterday, residents were busy cordoning off the pit with barbed wire and tree branches.
By noon, word of the tragedy had spread and residents were seen coming in and out of the Nono family’s corrugated structure to pay their condolences.
The children’s devastated uncle Thabo Nono said he last saw the two laughing while having breakfast.
“They then went out to play. I received a call from my wife about the incident and left everything and rushed to the scene. I still cannot believe they are gone,” he said.
He said the children were both Grade R pupils at Sinomonde Public School.
School principal Vuyisile Nkohla said he had received the news with shock.
“The school is very far from where these two live and they struggled with transport as a result of heavy rains, hence they were not at school.
“They were inseparable, they always liked walking together,” he said.
He said the school would honour the lives of the two by hosting a memorial service and called on residents to rally behind the young family in their time of great need.
Police have advised members of the public with holes dug in their yards to cover them as more heavy rains were expected.
In June, two girls aged 14 and 11 drowned in a dam at Greensleeves Place of Safety in Brakfontein when they sneaked out on an illicit boating jaunt. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Siblings drown in village pit
Police from the K-9 search and rescue unit were called to the scene shortly after 10am and found residents trying to resuscitate the children. They were both declared dead on the scene.
Five-year-old girl Alizwa Nono and her seven-year-old brother, Oyisa, were with three other children in the yard of resident Erick Gola when the tragedy occurred.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said according to statements taken on the scene, one of the siblings had slipped into the 1.5m deep pit. The other had tried to help but also fell in.
“At the moment we don’t know who fell into the pit first because there was no elderly person around when the incident occurred,” Mqala said.
She said an inquest docket was opened. Police suspected no foul play.
The children’s mother, 27-year-old Ncumisa Nono, collapsed when their bodies were taken away in the mortuary van. She had to be rushed to Empilweni Hospital to be treated for shock.
Gola said he was asleep and was woken up by two villagers who told him they had been passing by when the children called them over and told them about their friends who had fallen in the pit.
“I could not believe it, so I gave the two men permission to look in the pit,” Gola said.
“Five minutes later, they retrieved the body of a boy, followed by that of the girl. It was the worst sight in my life. We tried giving them CPR but we were too late.”
Gola, who is renovating his house, said he had recently dug the pit to make a toilet. He said the pit had been empty until recent heavy rainfalls.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the house yesterday, residents were busy cordoning off the pit with barbed wire and tree branches.
By noon, word of the tragedy had spread and residents were seen coming in and out of the Nono family’s corrugated structure to pay their condolences.
The children’s devastated uncle Thabo Nono said he last saw the two laughing while having breakfast.
“They then went out to play. I received a call from my wife about the incident and left everything and rushed to the scene. I still cannot believe they are gone,” he said.
He said the children were both Grade R pupils at Sinomonde Public School.
School principal Vuyisile Nkohla said he had received the news with shock.
“The school is very far from where these two live and they struggled with transport as a result of heavy rains, hence they were not at school.
“They were inseparable, they always liked walking together,” he said.
He said the school would honour the lives of the two by hosting a memorial service and called on residents to rally behind the young family in their time of great need.
Police have advised members of the public with holes dug in their yards to cover them as more heavy rains were expected.
In June, two girls aged 14 and 11 drowned in a dam at Greensleeves Place of Safety in Brakfontein when they sneaked out on an illicit boating jaunt. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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