The mother of a boy, who is currently fighting for his life in an intensive care unit in the hospital after allegedly consuming toxic chips bought from a local spaza shop said she was slowly losing hope. This is after doctors told her to just pray for her son. Katlego Oliphant (7) is the only survivor after his five friends died on Sunday afternoon after complaining of stomach aches and vomiting non-stop.
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE
Isago Mabote (7), Njabulo Msimango (7), Zinhle Maama, (7) Karabo Rampou, (8) and Monica Sathekge (6) died after allegedly consuming chips laced with posion. Katlego's mother, Lydia, could not hold her tears as she related her story to ZiMoja. Lydia said she came back from the hospital in the morning to fetch essentials and was told by doctors that her boy was fighting for his life."He is fighting and in ICU - he is on and off. The doctors told me that the poison is coming out, but they can't tell me whether or not he'll be fine. They told me to pray," said the weeping mother.
HE KNEW HE WAS DYING
Isago Mabote's grandmother, Agnes, said the boy came running to the house, kicked the door and told them he was dying. Isago is said to have left the house to play with his friends around 13:30 on Sunday. "He kicked the door and his aunt shouted at him, asking why he was doing that, and his response was that he was feeling dizzy. He laid down next to me shaking, and his heart rate was fast. He repeatedly told me that he was going to die, and I reassured him that he'd be fine," Gogo Mabote said. She said Isago started vomiting some brown stuff and told her that he ate chips bought from a spaza shop. She added that they made him drink milk and brown foam came out of his nose and his eyes started changing. The boy was later taken to the hospital, where he was certified dead on arrival.
HE WAS DROPPED AT THE GATE
Nani Rampou, Karabo's grandmother, said she was not around when the incident happened but was told that the boy has gone out to play. "When he came back, he sat on the veranda, and his aunt asked him if he was okay, and he claimed to be fine and left again to play. He had gone next door, and then foam started to come out of his mouth and nose. It seems as if he died there, then they dropped him at the gate while asking for help. Karabo was also certified dead upon arrival at the hospital.
HE ASKED FOR R1
Njabulo's grandmother,Tryphina Phiri, said at first the boy was scared to admit that he had eaten the chips after seeing his two friends collapse in front of him. "Before going to play, Njabulo asked for R1 from his mother, but she refused. After hearing that they ate chips, I figured that his friends who had money shared with him because that's how kids are. He just kept crying and I thought it was because he saw his friends collapse and feared that his mother would beat him up. Suddenly he started shaking and his mom took him outside and poured cold water over him while waiting for transport. They took him to Zola Clinic but he died there." Zinhle Maama and Monica Sathekge were also rushed to Zola Clinic were they were certified dead on arrival.
