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Loveness Bepete and Plaxcedes Hove Chronicle Reporters
A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy from Cowdray Park suburb was buried yesterday, a week after he drowned when he lost control of a container that he was using to float on water in a large pit left open by Bulawayo City Council (BCC) workers. Muzimkhulu Moyo’s friends failed to save him as they were swimming on Wednesday last week at around 4PM and his body was only retrieved the following day.
The minor’s family had planned to bury him on Sunday but were blocked from doing so at Luveve cemetery by council officials who said their papers were not in order.
The drowning victim was finally buried yesterday.
The boy’s mother, Busani Moyo, said on the fateful day, she was not aware that her son, whose father passed away some time ago, had gone to play at the “dam”.
“It was just after lunch when my son went outside to play with other children and l went to sleep not knowing he was going for swimming. I wasn’t aware of the place and not for a single day in my life had l ever thought my son would visit such places as young as he was,” Moyo said.
She said she started panicking when she woke up to visit the toilet only to see her son’s friend carrying his clothes.
“When his friend told me that my son had drowned, l was confused and had to quickly walk to the place to believe my son was no more,” added Moyo.
She said she arrived at the scene at around 4PM and subsequently made a report at Luveve Police Station and police officers only attended the scene after 8PM.
Moyo said she slept on guard at the open pit with two police officers and her son’s body was only retrieved the following day.
“When his body was collected it was so dry like someone who hadn’t been removed from water. He was bleeding from the mouth, some white stuff came out through his nose and he looked as if he was squatting,” said Moyo.
She challenged the BCC to act on all open pits collecting water this rainy season, adding that filling them up with soil was the only solution.
Locals who declined to be named said the large pit was now being used for some rituals as three people have since died there.
“This water is haunted, people are always dying here and we wonder why the city council has failed to cover up the pits which are a threat to the community.”
Online Reporter