A young King William’s Town pupil enjoying the last day of his school holidays drowned on Tuesday while swimming with friends.The boy’s frantic mother, who arrived on the scene as soon as she was alerted, watched helplessly as police divers searched the dam where her son and his friends had been swimming.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Mzantsi location in a village dam near the R63.
Young Sokhanya Magqashela, a Grade 4 pupil at Mzantsi Primary School, was enjoying the last day of the school holidays cooling off in the dam when he got into trouble and drowned.
Police said the nine-year-old’s four friends immediately got out of water and rushed to the community to report what had happened.
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant Siphokazi Mawisa said: “Police were called at about 3pm. All roleplayers were then summoned to the dam and police divers searched for the body until they found him.”
It took divers more than three hours to locate the body, which was only recovered after 6pm.
As news of the drowning spread, residents flocked to the scene to watch divers at work.
Sokhanya’s mother collapsed after seeing her son’s brown T-shirt, yellow shorts and shoes lying on the bank.
She was comforted by her younger sister and another elderly resident.
Mawisa said an inquest docket had been opened. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Young KWT pupil drowns
The boy’s frantic mother, who arrived on the scene as soon as she was alerted, watched helplessly as police divers searched the dam where her son and his friends had been swimming.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Mzantsi location in a village dam near the R63.
Young Sokhanya Magqashela, a Grade 4 pupil at Mzantsi Primary School, was enjoying the last day of the school holidays cooling off in the dam when he got into trouble and drowned.
Police said the nine-year-old’s four friends immediately got out of water and rushed to the community to report what had happened.
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant Siphokazi Mawisa said: “Police were called at about 3pm. All roleplayers were then summoned to the dam and police divers searched for the body until they found him.”
It took divers more than three hours to locate the body, which was only recovered after 6pm.
As news of the drowning spread, residents flocked to the scene to watch divers at work.
Sokhanya’s mother collapsed after seeing her son’s brown T-shirt, yellow shorts and shoes lying on the bank.
She was comforted by her younger sister and another elderly resident.
Mawisa said an inquest docket had been opened. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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