President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the bereaved families of four children who died of suffocation after they fell into a hole close to the N2 Highway near Nyanga last week. Following the President’s reply to the State of the Nation Address debate in the National Assembly, he paid a visit to Nyanga where he had a private engagement with the families.
The four boys died when they were trapped in a sinkhole close to the N2 freeway.
Azola Qakalana, Axolile Mabangula, Ivakele Kalikopu and Nqabayethu Mlaza died tragically after falling into a hole at the N2 Borcherds Quarry intersection in Nyanga. Their bodies were recovered by emergency rescue crews on Monday last week. pic.twitter.com/hU8lT8fYrT
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) February 18, 2021
President Ramaphosa says he will facilitate that the families get trauma counselling and are able to bury their loved ones.
The President was accompanied by State Security Minister Zizi Kodwa.
“An incident tragic as it is like this must be a lesson that it should not happen again. These children were playing in a very unsafe place. If there were recreational facilities in the area of Vukuzenzele, Barcelona and Lusaka these children would not be here today.”
President @CyrilRamaphosa speaks to the families of the four boys who died when they got trapped in a sinkhole close to the N2 freeway. pic.twitter.com/IRdqbOtb0i
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) February 18, 2021
The children are expected to be buried in Ngqamakhwe, Pedi, and Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape this weekend. The spokesperson for the families Nelson Mlumiso says they are grateful that the government has been on their side throughout their grief.
“I am feeling very happy. He promised. Now, we are waiting for him. We are very happy that the President visited us.”
The President has again reminded the families to observe all COVID-19 protocols when conducting burials. He also briefly remarked that he had no after-effects and is in perfect shape after having taken the COVID-19 vaccine.
