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A 15-year-old Limpopo boy, who drowned while trying to rescue his friend, has been described by his grandmother as a hero.
The family of Ntshembo Makhasa, who drowned while trying to save Sabata Rikhotso,13, at the Middle Letaba River, says he showed bravery as he died saving his friend.
The pair drowned at the river 3km from Maswanganyi village outside Giyani on Sunday.
Ntshembo's grandmother Ndaheni Mashimbye said his other friends, who were swimming together with the two, told her that her grandson drowned as he tried to reach and save Sabata, who was first to drown.
"Though I'm deeply hurt about his cruel death, I find solace in the fact that he died doing something good –trying to save someone's life. He didn't want to leave his friend to die alone and for that, he will always be a hero in my heart," Mashimbye said.
She further described Ntshembo as a respectful and intelligent child, who always looked after her.
"I can't walk properly because of my injured leg, he was the one who made sure I have clean water and he would clean the house as well. Now I don't know who is going to do all those chores for me because he's gone," she said.
Mashimbye said Ntshembo liked playing soccer and it was for the first time he went to swim.
Sabata's father Nhlanhla Rikhotso told Sowetan it appeared that the pair didn't know how to swim.
"According to the other children who were swimming with them, Sabata and Ntshembo had less experience in swimming because they kept on going to the centre of flowing river. It appears they were unhappy in swimming in a small catchment and proceed to the deep centre where they drowned," he said.
Rikhotso said he rushed to the scene and witnessed his son's lifeless body.
"We waited for emergency services and after waiting for two hours, the community decided to embark on a search and recovered my son's body. Then Ntshembo's body was retrieved by the police rescue and search team," he said.
Sabata was a grade 7 pupil at Maswanganyi Primary School and Makhasa was a grade 9 learner at Giyani High School.
Rikhotso described his son as a soccer fan.
Giyani mayor Basani Shibambu paid the bereaved families a visit and expressed her deepest condolences.
Cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu, who also expressed his condolences to the families, warned parents to keep a watchful eye on their children while playing outside or going to the river.
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