Warning issued after 14-year-old boy drowns in illegal mining site
The body of a 14-year-old boy was recovered on Thursday following a drowning incident at Begasdorp Mine View in the Maake area of Mopani District.
The boy reportedly drowned while swimming in a water-filled excavation dug by illegal miners.
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba says the incident occurred on Wednesday at around 3pm.
“The teenager was swimming with friends in a water-filled excavation when he drowned,” said Ledwaba.
The excavation had reportedly filled with rainwater, making it extremely hazardous.
A search and rescue operation was launched immediately and resumed the following day.
The boy’s body was recovered by the SAPS Search and Rescue Team, with support from the Water Wing Unit and Politsi K9, at a depth of approximately five metres.
Police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Limpopo’s Provincial Commissioner, expressed her condolences to the family and warned communities about the dangers posed by abandoned mining excavations.
“These areas are extremely dangerous and pose a serious risk to life,” she said, urging parents and guardians to discourage children from swimming in unauthorised water bodies.
IOL News