Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
THE mother of a teenage student, who drowned in Chihoyi earlier this month while trying to save her friend, says her daughter died a HERO.
Memory Kachamabundu, 43, who is recovering from a stroke, said her daughter Sharmine,14, was a very disciplined child.
She died while she was trying to save her friend Chipo Dube.
The tragedy occurred on December 5 at St Irves Dam, here in Chinhoyi.
Memory is staying with her brother in Karoi while Sharmaine was staying with her father.
“Sharmaine was staying with her father while I am at my brother’s house in Karoi due to my ill health.
“She was a disciplined and obedient child.
“Her friend started swimming and Sharmaine realised that her friend was drowning and she then tried to rescue her and this resulted in both of them drowning.
“It pains a lot as a parent to lose a child.”
Her neighbour, Mrs Mateesanwa, told H- Metro Sharmaine was more of a daughter to her.
“Sharmaine’s death has left a big deep wound in our lives. It’s a very painful death.
“What pains us the most is that the dam has become a menace to society as two other children also drowned in the same dam.”
She said just before her death, Sharmaine came to her home and asked her to open the Zimsec portal so that she could access her Grade Seven examination results.
Zvikomborero Munikwa, whose sister Chipo also died in the tragedy, said the two friends had been playing at home that day.
They then left and the next thing she remembers is one of their friends coming home to tell her that the two had drowned.
“I quickly rushed there. When I arrived, no one was willing to retrieve the bodies of my sister and her friend.
“However, two men later volunteered and retrieved the body of Chipo while Shairmaine’s body remained stuck in the dam.
“We then took Chipo to the hospital and that was when we heard that Sharmaine’s body had been found.
“It pains a lot to lose our beloved ones under such circumstances.
“I want to urge parents to make sure that children stay away from rivers and dams.”
