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Construction workers secure the place where four children died.
- Four families have been left in mourning over the death of four children in Nyanga.
- The children were killed when a sand dune collapsed while playing on it.
- The deaths have also sparked a heated debate about the lack of safe facilities in the community.
The deaths of four children, killed when a sand dune they were playing on collapsed, has reportedly left their families devastated.
Four children, ages 11 to 13, fell into a hole near the N2 at the Borcherds Quarry Road intersection in Cape Town on Monday afternoon. Shortly after 6:00 p.m., the bodies of two children were recovered. A third body was recovered at 9:00 p.m. on Monday and the fourth at 02:21 a.m. on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the children were identified by their families as Iva Kalikopu, 13, Nqabayethu Mlaza, 12, Axolile Mambangula, 11, and Azola Quweni, 13.
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The four mothers, Landelwa Mlaza, Fundiswa Kalikopu, Thuliswa Mambangula and Nonkoliseko Quweni “clung to each other for comfort” while the search operations were carried out, according to the Daily Voice.
Family members told IOL that families had been heartbroken and some were struggling to come to terms with the loss.
Western Cape Social Development MEC, Sharna Fernandez, expressed her condolences to the affected families and said that social workers would offer support and assistance to families and neighbors “who have been deeply traumatized by this heartbreaking incident.”
“I would like to thank everyone who attended the scene and actively participated in the search and all relevant stakeholders who are helping the community at this difficult time,” said Fernandez.
Tragedy
Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato described the incident as a tragedy when he expressed his condolences to the families, saying the incident “reminds us of the uncertainty of life.”
However, adding to the families’ grief is a Daily Voice report that Plato said that children should have been playing in facilities such as parks and sports fields.
When asked for clarity, Cape Town Mayor’s Media Official Lyndon Khan said: “As quoted in the article, Mayor Dan Plato said there are sports fields nearby that could be used for recreational purposes.” .
Neighborhood councilor Khaya Yozi told News24 that there were not enough facilities to accommodate the thousands of children in the community and that local sports fields were closed due to Covid-19 regulations.
Plato’s reported response has generated public outrage, with many saying he shows little understanding of the security dynamics in the community.
The EFF reprimanded Plato.
“We are disgusted by the cold response of … Plato, who commented that there are enough playgrounds in Nyanga and that these children should not have been playing there in the first place,” the EFF statement read.
