A dark cloud hangs over Itsani Magalanngwe village outside Thohoyandou, following the tragic drowning of a 12-year-old boy, Mulamuleli Singo.

The boy, a Grade 7 learner at Mashila Primary School, is said to have gone for a swim with friends in the nearby Tshidumbi River, where he drowned.

The incident happened on Saturday, 15 February. The boy’s aunt, Violet Thobo, said she had left him at home when she had gone shopping in Thohoyandou.

“It was around 15:00 when we finished shopping that I received a call telling me to go to the river. At first, I couldn’t believe it, as I had left him at home. But after some persuasion, I rushed there and was shown clothing at the riverbank, which I recognised as his. His lifeless body had been retrieved by local boys and was later taken away by forensic pathologists,” she said.

Thobo said the boy’s death was a devastating loss for the family.

“His mother passed away some years ago, and he was being cared for by his grandmother. He was a good boy who respected everyone in the family. We are in a state of confusion as a poor family. We don’t even know how we are going to bury him. We will have to rely on the kindness of the community,” she said.

Community leader Michael Gumula said drowning incidents had become a serious problem in the village. “We have had several incidents in the past. A few years ago, a body was found floating not far from where the boy drowned. Besides that, there have been other cases. We urge parents to watch their children closely and know where they are playing to prevent such tragedies. We also call on the community to fully support the family as we know their situation," he said.

Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident, saying it had happened on Saturday at about 14:30.

“It is alleged that the 12-year-old boy went swimming in the nearby river with a few friends. He reportedly swam to the deeper end but was unable to get out, and as a result, he drowned,” he said.