Staff Reporter
Police in Steynsrus are investigating circumstances under which seven children and an adult drowned after the car they were travelling in was swept into a river by a strong water current.
The incident happened at Somerset East Farm at about 11am on Sunday in the small farming town which is about 50km from Kroonstad in the northern Free State.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement the vehicle, a white Honda Ballade, was carrying three men and seven children – four boys and three girls.
The driver, who also perished in the incident, has been identified as Tshokolo Hlongwane, aged 26, and the other two men are Mohau Mokoena and Swartbooi Hlongwane.
“The two males and the driver managed to get out of the vehicle,” said Makhele.
“But the driver went back into the water to try and save the children from drowning and was also swept away,” he explained.
All the children drowned and police divers initially managed to recover six of the bodies of the kids and the body of the driver.
The body of the seventh child was retrieved today.
The boys whose bodies have been recovered are Thapelo Tekanya, 4, Bokamoso Maphakisa, 8, and Mojalefa Mosibi, 12.
The body of Karabo Kok, 7, was pulled out of the water today.
The girls were identified as Hopolang Monyatsi, 6, Relebohile Mpeko, 9, and Ntaoleng Mpeko, 13.