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The children, two 10-year-olds and one 9-year-old, were found by passersby on Saturday amid sustained downpours in Gauteng.
FILE: The South African Meteorological Service on November 21, 2020 warned of more possible storms and floods in various parts of the country for the rest of this weekend. The provinces, including Gauteng and the Free State, are already battling extensive damage to roads and infrastructure from sustained downpours. Image: @ CityTshwane / Twitter
JOHANNESBURG – The city of Tshwane on Sunday summoned contractors responsible for building a stormwater trench in Hammanskraal, where authorities found the bodies of three children believed to have drowned there.
The children, two 10-year-olds and one nine-year-old, were found at Tambo Extension 1 on Saturday by passersby amid sustained downpours in Gauteng.
As authorities continued to comb the scene to piece together what happened, preliminary investigations revealed that the children were playing in the trench after heavy rains opened their barriers.
MMC Dikeledi Selowa of Tshwane’s Roads and Transport was expected to visit the grieving families on Sunday.
“Last night, MMC Selowa met with senior officials from the Department of Highways and Transportation, the regional executive director, the site project manager and the contractor.
“This morning the site engineer, security officers and contractor were summoned,” Tshwane Mayor’s spokesman Jordan Griffiths said in a statement.
Griffiths said the MMC had tasked the Tshwane Metro Police Department with patrolling and securing the site.
‘A TRAGEDY BEYOND MEASURE’
Meanwhile, Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams said the incident was a tragedy beyond measure.
“The death of these young people is a tragedy beyond measure. It is a devastating loss for the families, the Hammanskraal community and all of Tshwane, ”Griffiths said.
He added: “I ask all the residents of the city to take a moment today to offer their thoughts and prayers for the departed souls of these young people and their families. Tshwane is in mourning for them. May their souls rest in peace.”
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