Alex Matlala
Alex Matlala
Scores of pupils collapsed and teachers wept at the funeral of two schoolchildren who drowned while trying to cross a rivulet.
The funeral of Sylvester Mongwe, 9, and Peter Mahlaola, 10, was held at Seboakgale Primary School in Mahwelereng on Sunday.
It was attended by local politicians, businesspeople, pastors from different churches and police officers from across the province.
The funeral costs, including catering, transport and the coffins, were paid for by the Mogalakwena municipality.
The two children drowned last week following heavy rains in the area.
Mayor Bob Mmola said it was the duty of the government to help when problems such as these arose.
Mmola said the municipality had dispatched a group of experts to assess what needed to be done to make the area safe.
A Grade 4 pupil and a friend of the dead children said: "I wish God could send his angels to bring them back. We miss their jokes and laughter. We blame the government for not building bridges to enable children to cross rivers on rainy days.
"We are now scared to go to school on rainy days because we fear for our lives."
It is believed the boys were swept away while trying to cross the rivulet by using an overhead pipe.
The dead boys were returning from school when the tragedy occurred.
Lucaster Manganyi, 14, who was rescued by passersby when the two drowned, was discharged from Mokopane Hospital yesterday.
Drowned primary school boys buried
Alex Matlala
Alex Matlala
Scores of pupils collapsed and teachers wept at the funeral of two schoolchildren who drowned while trying to cross a rivulet.
The funeral of Sylvester Mongwe, 9, and Peter Mahlaola, 10, was held at Seboakgale Primary School in Mahwelereng on Sunday.
It was attended by local politicians, businesspeople, pastors from different churches and police officers from across the province.
The funeral costs, including catering, transport and the coffins, were paid for by the Mogalakwena municipality.
The two children drowned last week following heavy rains in the area.
Mayor Bob Mmola said it was the duty of the government to help when problems such as these arose.
Mmola said the municipality had dispatched a group of experts to assess what needed to be done to make the area safe.
A Grade 4 pupil and a friend of the dead children said: "I wish God could send his angels to bring them back. We miss their jokes and laughter. We blame the government for not building bridges to enable children to cross rivers on rainy days.
"We are now scared to go to school on rainy days because we fear for our lives."
It is believed the boys were swept away while trying to cross the rivulet by using an overhead pipe.
The dead boys were returning from school when the tragedy occurred.
Lucaster Manganyi, 14, who was rescued by passersby when the two drowned, was discharged from Mokopane Hospital yesterday.