The family of Anje Msi, 14, who was presumed drowned at a dam in Driftsands more than a week ago, say the recovery of his body at the weekend has brought them some relief.
The Grade 5 Nal’ikamva Primary School pupil went missing at the Blou Dam on Saturday February 3 while swimming with friends (“Boy presumed drowned at Driftsands dam,“ Vukani, February 14).
The family say a sangoma who went to the dam at the weekend to perform her rituals found Anje’s body.
They say they only heard about the boy’s death after his father, Vuyo Tsutsu, went to Anje’s school in search of his missing son and learnt from one of the pupils that Anje had drowned while swimming at the dam. He had been grasping a piece of foam to stay afloat but had lost his grip.
Family spokesman Simamkele Tsutsu, the boy’s uncle, said they were grief-stricken, but it was a “big relief” knowing Anje’s body had been found.
“As a family, we are relieved just to get his body. At least we will be able to point out his grave. When we could not get him, we were stressed and depressed because it is not an easy thing not to bury your blood and soul.”
Mr Tsutsu said he felt the police divers could have done more to find Anje’s body sooner.
“I am not happy with how the police divers handled the case. We are told the body is not in good condition. This is something that should have been avoided. Now the body is in the mortuary waiting for autopsy and the DNA of the father and mother before we can finally take it. But we are adamant that it is him. We’ve got all the body features that were in him.”
Mr Tsutsu said the authorities should fence the dam to prevent a similar tragedy in future.
“This should be an eye-opener to the authorities… This will not be the last incident. The dam needs to be fenced.”
He added: “We need to thank the media for its great work. Had it not been for it, maybe people would not know our pain. We also give thanks to the sangoma who discovered him. She left her ritual to come and inform us. We say thank you to all those who worked with us.”
Mfuleni police spokesman Warrant Officer November Filander confirmed that the body of a boy had been found in the dam and an autopsy would be done to determine the cause of death.
