Durban — A KwaZulu-Natal family whose 5-year-old son drowned in a neighbour’s swimming pool said the incident had left them heartbroken and devastated.
Mvelo Gumede was found dead in the pool near his home in Sun Crescent, Lotusville, Verulam, on Thursday morning.
His grandmother, Nomusa Gumede, said the boy disappeared while playing in the yard.
“My grandson was watching TV with a neighbour until 5.15pm. I asked them if they could play outside so his grandfather and I could watch the news. Five minutes after being outside, Mvelo was nowhere to be found.
“When we asked the girl about where Mvelo was, she could not answer. I don’t think she understood isiZulu,” said Gumede.
She said that from 5.35pm to 5.40pm there was camera footage showing him playing in the yard.
“It showed him heading in the direction of the house, but not jumping into the swimming pool.”
She said the pool was filled with rocks and believed that the facial injuries on the child were due to them.
Gumede said her grandson lived with his mother in Ndwedwe and that he had been visiting his father since December 30, which was also the first time that he went to the neighbour’s house.
On Wednesday evening, a search was launched for the missing boy. His father contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) for assistance and said that his son had been playing with a 6-year-old tenant when she decided to return home for refreshments.
Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram and other law enforcement officers interviewed the girl, who was unable to provide any information.
“A search party was formed and several locations around Lotusville were explored without success. The search was called off at 2.30am on Thursday and resumed at 6am.”
Balram said the 6-year-old girl was re-interviewed by her aunt on Thursday morning.
“She appeared traumatised and was still unable to provide any information. Her aunt left shortly thereafter.
“While Rusa members were searching a bush in the area, they were told by a resident that a child was floating in his pool.”
Reaction officers and Rusa medics went to the property where the missing child was found face down in the pool.
Medics retrieved his body from the pool at 7:21am and declared him dead shortly thereafter.
KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: “Verulam police are investigating after a 5-year-old boy drowned in a neighbour’s swimming pool on January 4. The boy was reported missing on Wednesday.”
Ward 106 councillor Johnson Chetty said foul play was not suspected.
In a similar incident, a 9-year-old boy nearly drowned in Ndwedwe on Wednesday evening.
He died on Thursday morning, possibly from secondary drowning.
Daily News