A man was assaulted by the community when a boy he was carrying on his back while swimming, slipped and drowned in a dam.?

TRAGIC GAME

It's alleged that the man who is the child's neighbour was playing a swimming game called ihashi (horseplay) with the boy when the incident took place at Hazelmere Dam in Inanda, north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natall on Thursday. The boy's family refused to comment and asked for privacy and to be allowed to deal with the matter. A resident Sihle Mkhize who was amongst those swimming at the dam when the incident happened told ZiMoja that they were at the dam to quench the heat. People started playing a game called horseplay (ihashi). We were all enjoying the game, it's unfortunate for the manthat the child he was carrying on his back slipped and drowned,' said Mkhize.

MOB JUSTICE

Mkhize says the reason the community beat him up was because the man was not related to the family. "The community became enraged when they were informed that the man was not related to the boy who drowned but they are close neighbours. What angered the community was that he chose the neighbour's child to do horseplay with instead of taking one of his own. him with sticks and fists,' he said. The man was rescued by cops from the angry community and removed from the scene.

KZN SAPS Spokesperson Thenjiswa Ngcobo confirmed the incident. Ngcobo said an inquest docket was opened at Verulam police station for investigation after a ten-year-old boy drowned on 12 January 2023 at Oakford River in Verulam. The man was reportedly carrying the 10-year-old on his shoulder while swimming. "The two allegedly experienced difficulties and the boy allegedly fell into the water and drowned. It is also alleged the angry community assaulted the man and he sustained injuries.'