Government and municipal authorities came in for a lashing for not building swimming pools or providing swimming lessons to rural communities at a memorial service for three young drowning victims on Wednesday.
The memorial was held for Sinazo Mbeshu, 11, and Lindokuhle Singata and Esethu Madondile, both 10, at Dalubuhle Junior Secondary School in New Payne Farm Village, Mthatha.
The bodies of the schoolgirls, who were best friends and neighbours, were recovered in February from a water-filled trench dug for pipes.
It is believed they drowned while swimming in the trench.
Lindile Matyumza, Dalubuhle Junior Secondary’s SGB chairman, said the tragic incident could have been averted. “If swimming was part of sporting codes and swimming facilities erected in our areas, the three young friends would not have died.
“The government does not care about our areas. Swimming is not regarded as part of us. There are no swimming pools in our schools, let alone communal facilities to benefit village children.”
Dalubuhle principal Sibongiseni Mdunyelwa and Upper Zimbane Junior Secondary principal Nomafu Mvo said rural areas were neglected.
“We need to equip our children with swimming skills to prevent drownings,” said Mdunyelwa. “We need swimming facilities. If our schools or the village had a swimming pool the girls would not be dead now.”
Mvo said it was shocking that only one public swimming pool serviced greater Mthatha.
“Swimming lessons can assist in reducing the high number of drownings in the black and poor areas while at the same time create stars in swimming in South Africa,” said Mvo.
Mvo, Matyumza and Mdunyelwa said the girls’ deaths should be a wakeup call for authorities.
They also blamed the construction company, saying it should have prevented access to the trenches.
The parents of the young girls said the three youngsters had experienced good and bad times together. In 2014 all three were raped by a 42-year-old man who is now serving a life-term in prison.
Esethu was in Grade 4 and Lindokuhle in Grade 6 at Dalubuhle. Mbeshu was in Grade 5 at Upper Zimbane.
The principals of both schools said the rape had affected the girls’ academic performances but they were progressing “well” before they died.
OR Tambo District Municipality will hold a combined funeral service for the three at New Payne village tomorrow and will cover all the costs.
Sinazo, Lindokuhle and Esethu were last seen by their parents at about 4pm on February 24 at Payne Farm village near Mthatha.
They started to panic when by 5pm the children had not returned home and a search was launched by the community. Clothes belonging to two of the girls were found on top of a big water pipe in one of the trenches.
A police diver who heard about the incident over the police radio arrived on the scene soon after and recovered the three children.
Parents of the girls said the trenches were not fenced and the security guard employed to secure the trenches was not at his post at the time.
However, a Dispatch team visited the site soon after the incident and it was fenced.
The security guard was present and it was not clear how the girls gained access to the trench. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Drownings ‘a wakeup call’ to all
The memorial was held for Sinazo Mbeshu, 11, and Lindokuhle Singata and Esethu Madondile, both 10, at Dalubuhle Junior Secondary School in New Payne Farm Village, Mthatha.
The bodies of the schoolgirls, who were best friends and neighbours, were recovered in February from a water-filled trench dug for pipes.
It is believed they drowned while swimming in the trench.
Lindile Matyumza, Dalubuhle Junior Secondary’s SGB chairman, said the tragic incident could have been averted. “If swimming was part of sporting codes and swimming facilities erected in our areas, the three young friends would not have died.
“The government does not care about our areas. Swimming is not regarded as part of us. There are no swimming pools in our schools, let alone communal facilities to benefit village children.”
Dalubuhle principal Sibongiseni Mdunyelwa and Upper Zimbane Junior Secondary principal Nomafu Mvo said rural areas were neglected.
“We need to equip our children with swimming skills to prevent drownings,” said Mdunyelwa. “We need swimming facilities. If our schools or the village had a swimming pool the girls would not be dead now.”
Mvo said it was shocking that only one public swimming pool serviced greater Mthatha.
“Swimming lessons can assist in reducing the high number of drownings in the black and poor areas while at the same time create stars in swimming in South Africa,” said Mvo.
Mvo, Matyumza and Mdunyelwa said the girls’ deaths should be a wakeup call for authorities.
They also blamed the construction company, saying it should have prevented access to the trenches.
The parents of the young girls said the three youngsters had experienced good and bad times together. In 2014 all three were raped by a 42-year-old man who is now serving a life-term in prison.
Esethu was in Grade 4 and Lindokuhle in Grade 6 at Dalubuhle. Mbeshu was in Grade 5 at Upper Zimbane.
The principals of both schools said the rape had affected the girls’ academic performances but they were progressing “well” before they died.
OR Tambo District Municipality will hold a combined funeral service for the three at New Payne village tomorrow and will cover all the costs.
Sinazo, Lindokuhle and Esethu were last seen by their parents at about 4pm on February 24 at Payne Farm village near Mthatha.
They started to panic when by 5pm the children had not returned home and a search was launched by the community. Clothes belonging to two of the girls were found on top of a big water pipe in one of the trenches.
A police diver who heard about the incident over the police radio arrived on the scene soon after and recovered the three children.
Parents of the girls said the trenches were not fenced and the security guard employed to secure the trenches was not at his post at the time.
However, a Dispatch team visited the site soon after the incident and it was fenced.
The security guard was present and it was not clear how the girls gained access to the trench. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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