They went to Nandoni Dam all the way from Mulenzhe village to enjoy tsuma (wild fruit) on Saturday, but their enjoyable trip ended in tragic death when their little boat capsized in the deep waters. Scores of bemused villagers watched on in disbelief as the bodies of cousins Given Baloyi (19) and Rendani Munyai (3) were retrieved from the vicious water of Nandoni Dam on Sunday.

Two other girls, Tracy Shivambu (16) and Nomalise Rammbuda, saved their own lives by holding onto the branches of a tree in the water.

The deceased were staying with the same family, whereas the survivors were next-door neighbours who are also related to the deceased.

One of the survivors, Tracy, explained what happened on the fateful Saturday: "Nomalise and I were on our way to enjoy mangoes at the local orchard when Given called us. He asked us to accompany him to the dam to enjoy a boat trip, but we refused. He pleaded with us until we agreed to go with him."

Tracy told Mirror how little Rendani cried for them. "When the little girl saw the boat, she cried and followed us. We tried to avoid her by running away, but she cried copiously and we allowed her to go with us."

The shocked Tracy said the four of them boarded the boat and the first trip was successful. "We asked Given to take us home, because we were already satisfied with the ride but he said we were still going for another trip. We tried to persuade him to leave the child on the banks of the dam, but he said the child was used to the boat."

Another survivor, Nomalise, explained how the cruelty of death took away the cousins: "When we were deep inside the dam, Given saw a Musuma tree full of the tsuma fruit. He stopped the boat next to the tree and said he wanted to pick the fruit. He stood on the edge of the boat and his weight caused the boat to tilt in that direction. Before we could understand what was taking place, the little girl was already in the deep waters and every one of us was confused. Tracy and I held on to the branches of the Musuma tree while Given threw himself into the water to rescue the child."

Nomalise said she saw Given coming from the deep waters with the little girl, but they could not make it to the boat. "He managed to lift his head from the waters while holding the child in his hands. Within seconds they both disappeared into the deep waters. After a brief silence, the body of the little girl was floating on the water whereas Given was nowhere to be found. Community members who came in another boat to save our lives took us from the tree. They also retrieved the little girl’s body while at the same time they started to search for the missing Given. His body was found on Sunday morning, a day after he had drowned."

Speaking on behalf of the family of the deceased, Elias Baloyi said the family was battling to come to terms with the tragedy. "Given loved the water and he previously used a steel basin (bavu) to paddle on the dam, before he acquired the boat from someone else. The fact that our little girl cried for him also depresses us because she would have been alive at this time.

We don’t know how we are going to bury them, because none of the family members is working. We are only relying to Good Samaritans out there to assist us because we are desperate and confused."

Vhembe police have confirmed the incident and two culpable homicide cases are being investigated.

Given and the two survivors, Tracy and Nomalise, were learners at the local Movhe Secondary School.

The family welcomes any assistance and they can be accessed through Elias Baloyi at 073 331 1828.

The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Mrs Lindiwe Hendricks, has expressed her sympathy to the two families. "I am saddened by this tragedy and wish to express my deepest sympathy with the children’s families," Minister Hendricks said.