Lightning kills boy (14)

Sukulwenkosi Dube  Plumtree Correspondent
A 14-YEAR-OLD herdboy from Masendu area in Bulilima District was fatally struck by a bolt of lightning while penning cattle.
Three other elderly people from the same area , including a teacher were left injured after they were struck by a bolt of lightning on the same day.Chief Masendu confirmed the two incidents which occurred in his area last weekend.

He said the boy, Promise Ndlovu who was a Grade 7 school dropout was found dead by his employer.
“I received a report of a boy who was struck by lightning while penning cattle. His body was discovered the following morning near the kraal. I also received a report of two village women and a female teacher at Kungubo Primary School who were also struck by a bolt of lightning but they escaped with minor injuries,” he said.

Chief Masendu said his area experienced a huge downpour on Saturday last week around 3pm which was accompanied by strong winds and lighting.

He said the rains persisted till 9pm on the same day.

He added that according to the report he received the two village women were struck by lightning while on their way from the fields.

Chief Masendu said the teacher from Kungubo Primary School was injured while at the school when an electric pole was struck by lightning and collapsed causing an electric fault.

He said the 14-year-old boy was buried at his grandmother’s homestead in Thanda 1 Village on Monday.

Promise’s grandmother, Dobi Dube said her grandson dropped out of school two years back due to financial constraints.

She said after completing his Grade 7, her now deceased grandson secured a job as a herd boy in a neighbouring village in a bid to assist his family with money.

Dube said the sight of the body of her grandson was heartbreaking as he was burnt all over the body. She said the clothes that he had been wearing had been charred.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philani Ndebele said Promise sustained multiple burns after he was struck by the bolt of lightning.