The Lower Crossroads community is reeling after four children were mysteriously electrocuted while playing in a vlei. The deadly incident occurred at Klipfontein Mission informal settlement on Monday 25 September.
According to reports, the children were sailing in a makeshift boat when it capsized. They were all electrocuted when they touched an illegal electrical cable in their quest to get to safety.
Three of the children were from Lower Crossroads and one from Klipfontein Mission.
Lulama Breakfast, a street committee member at Peacock Street, Lower Crossroads, described the incident as tragic. She said the children were swimming in the vlei using a makeshift boat when one of them fell and grabbed a wire running above the pond.
She said little did they know the wire was an illegal electrical connection.
“According to the information we received, the children were coming from one of the creches they used to go to over the weekends or holidays. They decided to go and swim as they used to.”
The quartet was discovered by other children and they alerted their teacher.
Describing what she witnessed at the scene, Breakfast said: “Only one child had scars on his hands the other children were fine. They were taken out from the water by one of the community members assisted by their teacher.”
One of the children was buried yesterday (27 September) according to Muslim rites.
Breakfast said two would be buried in the Eastern Cape, but the family had no means. The fourth victim is a foreign national.
“We don’t know when the other three children are going to be buried. I appeal to anyone who can assist to come on board. Both families are struggling. It is bad. People can contribute with whatever they have, not necessarily cash.”
Provincial police spokesperson W/O Joseph Swartbooi said Philippi East officers responded to a complaint on Monday 25 September, and on their arrival at a local dam in Klipfontein Mission Station informal settlement, around 15:00, found the community members retrieving the bodies of four boys from the water.
He said an inquest docket was opened for further investigation.
“The victims, aged seven to 12 years old, were declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. A post-mortem will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.”