An Upper Six pupil at Tennyson Hlabangana High School drowned while swimming with schoolmates at a dam in Hope Fountain.
Ngqabutho Ncube (18) left school in the company of his 19-year-old friend on their way home but decided to go swimming first on Monday afternoon. They met other schoolboys at the dam and he ended up drowning.
Bulawayo Metropolitan province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.
“We received a report of an 18-year-old pupil who went on a swimming escapade with a friend. At the dam, the two found three other schoolmates and the group started swimming together. After swimming about halfway across the dam, Ngqabutho Ncube drowned,” she said.
“His friends rushed to school and reported the matter which was brought to our attention and the Sub Aqua team rushed to the scene. They found Ngqabutho already dead and the body was immediately retrieved.”
Insp Simango warned members of the public to stay away from dams and other water bodies especially if they cannot swim.
Acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Mrs Ollicah Kaira expressed her condolences following Ncube’s death.
“We are saddened by the loss of one of our pupils, a Form Six student who drowned yesterday (Monday) afternoon on his way home. He was a day scholar and on his way home he was tempted to join three others who were swimming in the dam resulting in him drowning,” said Mrs Kaira.
“On behalf of the ministry and the school, we would like to express our deepest sympathy to the Ncube family. We urge pupils to be extra careful at all times to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.”
Meanwhile, a 10-months-old toddler also drowned in a dish in Tsholotsho over the weekend.
Lastgirl Moyo was left unattended by her mother, Sithabile Moyo (48) of Mswigana area under Chief Tategulu.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala said: “The toddler’s mother, who was attending a funeral at their neighbour’s home, was asked to serve drinking water to some elders at the funeral. When she returned to where she had left her child, she found her head in the water and the legs up. She was already dead”. – State Media