Three children from Khayelitsha died soon after eating a poisonous substance, presumably from a dumping site near their house.
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Two six-year-old boys and a one-year-old girl reportedly ate pap and sausages before the boys went outside to play near an illegal dumping site in Site C. The little girl stayed behind in her grandmother’s care.
Nomemeza Janda, the grandmother of the children, says she fed six-year-olds Athanathi Janda and Hlelo Mhlathsana the pap and sausage, which was left over from the previous night’s dinner. One-year-old Alunezo Janda ate umvubo (pap mixed with sour milk). She said she also ate the food, while her son took some to work for lunch.
According to the Cape Argus, Hlelo didn’t eat much as he reportedly felt full quickly.
Not long after going outside to play, Athanathi returned, saying that he didn’t feel well. ‘Coming from the play area next to the dumping site, Athanathi fell ill. He passed out and his body was also stiff. We rushed him to St John’s, where we also met Hlelo’s mother who told us that her son was also sick,’ says Janda.
‘Unlike my grandson, Hlelo was having seizures. Meanwhile, Athanathi also fell sick and was attended to by the local church lady. Unfortunately, Athanathi passed away while at the church and Hlelo was rushed to Nolungile Clinic.’
Not long after, the Janda family was called to a neighbour’s house where one-year-old Alunezo passed away in her sleep. ‘One of our neighbours took Alunezo from me because we were busy with the case of her brother. While attending to the police the same neighbour came to me with more shocking news. The baby wasn’t responding. She died in her sleep,’ says Janda.
Dunyiswa Magida, Hlelo’s neighbour, rushed the boy to the clinic. ‘Hlelo came back saying he was feeling hot and dizzy. I was called by Hlelo’s mother after he came back home feeling sick. When I asked him [what was] wrong he told me that [he was] feeling hot and dizzy. At that time he had already taken off his T-shirt.’
‘We rushed him to St John’s church where we were advised to take him to the clinic. Both doctors and nurses struggled to make him breathe through the oxygen pipe. When he eventually did, the doctors told us that whatever he ate was killing his veins and body cells.’
Magida adds that her vest was covered in blood stains from carrying Hlelo on her back. He died while waiting for an ambulance to transport him from Nolungile Clinic to Tygerberg Hospital.
The Janda family suspects that the boys ate poison from outside at the dumping area, and because Alunezo interacted with her brother by inserting her finger into his mouth shortly before he passed out, they believe she came into contact with the poison as well.
Grant Twigg, mayoral committee member for urban waste management, says the City is aware of waste collection delays in certain areas of the metro. ‘We, however, appeal to residents to never resort to illegal dumping. When residents see illegal dumping or a person dumping illegally, we call upon them to report it immediately.’
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi says Khayelitsha police responded to a complaint on Thursday, 13 July.
‘Upon arrival at Taiwan informal settlement at around 4:30pm they found the body of a six-year-old boy. The victim was declared dead on the scene by the medical personnel. Another six-year-old boy was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The victim was later declared dead. Reports suggested that the body of a one-year-old girl was found later in the house of one of the neighbours.’
An inquest for further investigation has been registered. Anyone with information on what happened can contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
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Picture: Mahomed Esmail Paruk / Google Maps