THE families of four young boys who were killed by izinyoka cables in Philippi East on Monday, 25 September are heartbroken.
Of the four kids who died, Khanyiswa Dyamdeki (35) lost her two sons, Lusindo (7) and Lihle Dyamdeki (11). The other boys who died are Awam Simanga (8) and Storm Scholtz (12).
The families said the boys died while they were returning from a study weekend at the local Al Huda Islamic Centre, where they were learning about the religion.
The Dyamdeki brothers' aunt, Noluvo (46) said they were devastated.
"We are hurt as a family. The last time we saw them they were going to Huda Islamic Centre, but now the're dead. We are shocked and didn't expect this to happen," she said.
Their boys' teacher, Fatima Abdallahm said they left the centre in the morning but she was called at about 11am and told that the kids had died.
She said:
A lady from Klipfontein area came to the centre and told me that ‘your kids have died'. I was shocked. At first, I thought they were hit by a vehicle, but she said the kids had been electrocuted.
She said she ran to the scene and found the kids on the other side of the dam, but nobody was willing to cross it. However, she crossed the deep dam to see the kids.
"When I arrived, I saw all the four kids lying face down on the wet ground. I turned them around to see if they were indeed my students. I was terrified because they had left the centre to go home, but ended up going to play in that area," said Fatima.
Awam's father Silas Salies said: "My son left saying he was going to meet his friends who lived a few houses away. After an hour or so, I was called by someone telling me that my son had died. They said I must rush to the dam near Klipfontein, not far from Marikana informal settlement, as the bodies were still there."
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He said when he arrived at the scene, he realised that indeed his son had died.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said upon arrival at a local dam in Klipfontein, cops found community members retrieving the bodies of four boys from the water.
"The victims were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. A post-mortem will be conducted to confirm the cause of death. Philippi East police have opened an inquest docket for further investigation," said Swartbooi.
