Chronicle Editor
Watch: Residents narrate how body of 3 year old New Lobengula drown victim was found
Raymond Jaravaza – [email protected]
RESIDENTS of New Lobengula suburb in Bulawayo gathered early Wednesday morning to resume their search for a missing three-year-old boy who had been swept away by rainwater on Tuesday afternoon.
After an hour of combing through overgrown grass, prodding the stream with sticks, and inspecting stagnant water pools, a gruesome discovery was made. Under a thicket of vegetation, a resident spotted a small leg protruding from the bushes and immediately alerted the search party.
The boy’s lifeless body was found a short distance from where he was last seen, hours after he had gone missing while in the company of his eight-year-old brother. A group of about nine men carefully retrieved the body, while news of the tragic discovery spread through the suburb.
Police were called to the scene and later transported the body to Mpilo Central Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
“We abandoned the search last night around 10 PM as it was too dark to continue. As early as 6 am this morning, we resumed our efforts. We agreed that the child’s body couldn’t have been carried too far by the water, so we focused our search within a confined area,” said Mr Love Dube, a resident and member of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association.
Another resident, Mr John Oka, said the body was discovered near the confluence of two small streams before the water flowed into a large storm drain pipe.
“We feared that he might have been carried into the massive storm drain pipe under Luveve Road, but it seems his body was trapped in thick vegetation along the stream’s banks,” said Mr Oka.
Residents said the tragic incident started when the young boy and his older brother had been sent to a local tuck shop by their mother. When heavy rains began to fall, they sought shelter.
“However, on their way home, the younger child was swept away by the sudden flash floods. His older brother rushed home to alert their mother, prompting residents to launch an urgent search operation,” said a resident.
Bulawayo police release name of toddler drowned in storm drain
Ronald Mpofu, Online Reporter
Police in Bulawayo have confirmed the drowning death of a three-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters in a drainage system in New Lobengula.
In a statement, Bulawayo Police Acting Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed that the child was Sibusiso Methembe Moyo.
She said that, according to reports, Sibusiso and his 8-year-old brother were sent by their mother to run an errand at around 4 pm on the fateful day.
“As the rain poured down, the brothers took refuge in a nearby tuckshop. After the storm passed, they began their walk home, but fate took a cruel turn when Sibusiso accidentally fell into a drainage system and was carried away by the powerful rainwater.
Following the incident, Sibusiso’s brother informed their mother, who then filed a police report,” said Assistant Inspector Msebele.
She said a search was conducted by police officers, members of the public, and the fire brigade.
Assistant Inspector Msebele stated that the search was halted at around 9 pm as it had become too dark to continue, and it resumed today at approximately 6 am.
“At around 8 am, a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee made the tragic discovery of Sibusiso’s body, trapped in a drainage along Luveve Road, opposite Josiah Chinamano Primary School,” said Assistant Inspector Msebele.
She said the body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for a post-mortem.
Assistant Inspector Msebele urged parents and guardians to monitor children closely.
“We urge parents and guardians to always supervise children in their care and to warn them not to cross flooded streams and drainages, but to wait for them to subside, especially during the rainy season. We also encourage people not to cross flooded rivers.”
Residents at the site where the child was last seen
Love Dube and John Oka at the scene where the child was found.
Members of Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association ward 11 Mr Love Dube and John Oka show were the toddler was discovered during early morning search.
Bulawayo recorded 30mm of rain on Tuesday, insignificant to have caused floods: Met Dept
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
BULAWAYO experienced flash floods on Tuesday following heavy rains, with tragic consequences as a toddler drowned after being swept away by strong water currents.
Several homes were also inundated, raising concerns about drainage issues in some suburbs.
According to the Meteorological Services Department (MSD), Bulawayo recorded 30 millimetres of rainfall at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport and 28 millimetres at the Khumalo Suburb station. MSD head of forecasting, Mr James Ngoma, said they were still collecting data from other monitoring stations but expressed surprise at the extent of the flooding.
“We are still getting statistics from other stations but the rains were insignificant to have caused such flooding in suburbs like Pumula,” said Mr Ngoma.
The floods left a family in New Lobengula devastated after their young child was swept away by the torrents. The child’s lifeless body was discovered a few metres away along Luveve Road, near Josiah Chinamano Primary School.
In Entumbane, some residents faced the distressing sight of water flooding their homes. Authorities expressed concern that some residents were refusing to open weeping holes in their perimeter walls, defying council by-laws designed to facilitate better drainage.
Meanwhile, a heavy downpour near Nyamande Primary School in Old Lobengula resulted in severe flooding on the road connecting to Njube suburb. The rising waters caused mechanical failures in several vehicles, leaving some motorists stranded in the waterlogged streets.
Flash floods occur due to a combination of factors, including heavy rainfall, saturated soil, and urban infrastructure that limits water absorption. Some of the key contributors to such flooding include:
• Heavy Rainfall: Intense rains overwhelm the ground’s ability to absorb water, leading to rapid runoff and localised flooding.
• Saturated Soil: When the soil is already waterlogged, additional rainfall cannot be absorbed, increasing surface runoff.
• Impermeable Surfaces: Urban areas with extensive paved roads and buildings reduce natural water absorption, worsening flood risks.
• Topography: Low-lying areas and steep slopes accelerate water flow and accumulation in certain locations.
• Poor Drainage Systems: Blocked or inadequate drainage can lead to standing water and increased flood damage.
• Environmental Factors: Areas affected by wildfires or deforestation become more prone to flash flooding due to reduced vegetation that would typically help absorb rainwater.
WATCH: Heavy rains bring widespread flooding to houses and roads in Bulaway0
Welldone Ndlovu, Online Reporter
HEAVY rainfall has caused flooding in parts of Bulawayo, with several houses and roads in the city affected by the downpour.
Areas such as Entumbane suburb saw houses flooded as some residents reportedly refused to open weep holes in their walls.
In another incident, a heavy downpour near Nyamande Primary School in Old Lobengula suburb resulted in severe flooding on the road connecting to Njube suburb. The flooding caused vehicles to experience mechanical problems, with some even stalling on the waterlogged road.
Poor drainage is the primary cause of flooding on roads and in homes.
Last week, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) issued a weather advisory warning of hailstorms and cold conditions due to a shift in weather patterns. According to the advisory, heavy rains are expected as a result of a low-pressure system strengthening from the Mozambican Channel towards the Mozambican coast.
“This system is expected to continue moving westward across the eastern and southern parts of Zimbabwe. Thunderstorms and rain are expected over Mashonaland East, Manicaland, and Masvingo on Saturday, 8th February 2025, and in Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo Metropolitan, and the Midlands provinces from Sunday, 9th February 2025, until Tuesday, 11th February 2025,” reads the MSD statement.
The MSD has urged members of the public to avoid crossing flooded rivers and to take necessary precautions during thunderstorms.
However, the rainfall will come as a relief to farmers who have experienced a dry spell over the past two weeks. Zimbabwe is experiencing a La Niña weather season, which is expected to be characterised by normal to above-normal rainfall.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter