admin Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD child from Bulilima District drowned in an abandoned well while her three-year-old brother was saved by their mother from meeting the same fate.Penelope Ndlovu was playing close to the well with her Grade Zero brother, Kwakuhle and their younger brother Leander.
She drowned on Friday afternoon in Diba area.
In an interview, their father, Tawanda Ndlovu said his two youngest children fell into the well and Kwakuhle rushed home to alert their mother, Lindrose Tshabangu.
Their mother jumped into the well, which had a little water, to retrieve both children but Penelope was already dead.
“I was not at home at the time of the incident but my wife told me that she tried to resuscitate both children as they were just lying motionless. Unfortunately, Penelope did not make it but Leander was taken to Plumtree District Hospital,” he said.
He said they buried Penelope at their homestead on Sunday.
Ndlovu said his two youngest children spent the whole day playing together on Friday as their elder brother was at school. When their brother returned from school, they allegedly told him that they had discovered some water and they wanted to show him. The three children then went to the well which is a few metres away from their homestead, leaving their mother behind.
Ndlovu said six-year-old Kwakuhle narrated how his two siblings kept leaning over the edge of the well while looking down at the water.
He said they both slipped and Kwakuhle, who was standing at a distance from the well rushed back home to report the incident.
He added that the well which took his daughter’s life was abandoned some time ago.
The toddler’s father said the well which was not covered had collected some water following the rains which fell last week.
A heartbroken Tshabangu failed to narrate the incident as she broke down.
“She was the only girl among the children that we had and now she is gone, this incident has really brought us a lot of pain and my wife is not taking it well. I’m afraid. At one moment she was playing then the next moment she was gone,” said Ndlovu.
“My wife told me that she can’t help but recall that moment when she was trying by all means to resuscitate our little girl but failed.”
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Philani Ndebele confirmed Penelope’s death.
He said the province records a high number of drowning cases during this time of the year which calls for people to exercise caution.
Insp Ndebele urged parents to be careful and frequently establish the whereabouts of their minor children. He also warned people against crossing flooded rivers.
Online Reporter