Duduza, Ekurhuleni – A wave of grief has engulfed the Duduza community following the tragic drowning of two young boys, aged 10 and 11, whose bodies were discovered in a water pond near Tonkmeter Road on Friday morning, 20 June. The children have been identified as Molefe Kgasi (11) and Samukelo Thusi (10), both from Zamani.
The discovery came after a missing persons report was filed at the Duduza Police Station on Thursday night, 19 June, when the boys failed to return home, sparking a frantic search by their families and the community.
The DEMS rescue team, aided by additional rescue and medical personnel, retrieved the two bodies from the water. Tragically, both boys were pronounced dead by paramedics.
Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesman William Ntladi said that they were alerted to a possible drowning around 8am. The rescue team from Duduza Fire Station promptly responded. Upon arrival, they discovered two sets of clothing near the pond, which were positively identified as belonging to the missing children.
Speaking to Daily Sun, a heartbroken Khathi Mthombeni fondly remembered her son, Molefe Kgasi (11), who drowned in a pond near Mega City in Duduza, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday, 19 June. "Molefe worshipped me. I was his queen and all he wanted was to see me smiling all the time," she said.
Khathi shared how Molefe greeted her with a kiss when he came back from school, asked about her day, watched cartoons and then would go out to play soccer. These precious moments are now painful memories.
According to Kasi Anti-Crime Unit spokesperson Nhlanhla Bayeni, the parents of the children contacted them on Thursday to inform them of the children’s disappearance.
“We gathered as the community of Duduza and began to search for the children with no luck. We shared their photos on social media to raise awareness and ask for help from nearby communities,” said Bayeni.
Bayeni confirmed that the matter was reported to the police on the day of the children’s disappearance. The unit worked in conjunction with the SAPS rescue team and DEMS on Friday morning.
Tshepo Kgasi, the father of Molefe, said he realised something was wrong yesterday at around 18:00. “I got home [on Thrsday] att around 17:00. My son usually goes to his grandmother’s house after school, and we confirmed that he had, in fact, gone there as usual. He changed into his soccer gear and left shortly after. When we noticed how late it was and knowing that soccer practice ends much earlier, we started to worry. His mother and I split up and searched everywhere, but we could not find him,” said Tshepo.
Tshepo said that he recognised his son’s clothing through a video making the rounds on social media. He spoke with deep emotion, saying the incident has shattered him as he never imagined his son would travel such a long distance, only to meet such a tragic end.
Samukelo’s aunt Ntombi Thusi described the incident as a horrific roller coaster. “My mother called me around 19:00 to ask about him. I affirmed that he was not with me,” she said. She explained that it had already been established that he had disappeared with another child.
“I rushed over to my mother’s house and upon arrival, I found community members gathered at the corner and began to worry. They were with another child after school so we decided to go and ask that child if he knew about their whereabouts. He confirmed that they mentioned that they were going to swim at a water pond. Before heading to work, Samukelo’s uncle decided to stop by the scene to see if there were any signs of the children. That is when he made the heartbreaking discovery of their clothes near the water,” said Ntombi.
She described her nephew as a quiet, shy and obedient child. She cited with emotion that they are terrified as a family to have had to experience this traumatic event.
The scene was heavy with emotion as stunned and grieving community members came together in shared sorrow.
Samkelo's gogo Mavis Thusi recounted the desperate search and said her heart was racing as they headed to a pond near Spaarwater Dam, a location known for drownings. Joined by Duduza police, they scoured the area with torches, calling out the boys' names but all in vain. “We called out their names, but the two boys were nowhere to be found,” said gogo Mavis.
They eventually filed a missing person's report at the police station.
Overwhelmed by grief, Khathi couldn't bring herself to identify her son's body. “It was too much for me,” she said.
According to nearby residents, the pond is believed to have been formed because of soil excavations by builders in the area. "As it rained, it grew bigger, and it attracted kids who used to go and swim," said a resident.
Molefe's aunt Jabulile Nkosi said: "All we want is for the municipality to take responsibility and seal the pond because many kids are still going to die there," she said.
Ntladi confirmed that the scene was handed over to the police for further investigation. Captain Nelda Sekgobela, spokeswoman for the Ekurhuleni District Police, said an inquest docket has been opened.
The tragedy has prompted calls for greater safety measures around construction sites and water bodies in the area. Residents are urging the municipality to take responsibility for the pond and ensure that it is properly sealed off to prevent further loss of life.
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