The tight-knit community of Duduza in Ekurhuleni has been plunged into mourning following the heartbreaking drowning of two 11-year-old best friends. The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, June 20, 2025, at a dam located behind the Mega City shopping complex.
The two boys, Molefe Kgatli and Samukelo Gift Frans, were close friends who lived in the Zamane Section, just a short distance from the dam where they ultimately lost their lives. What began as a routine afternoon of childhood play quickly turned into a nightmare for their families and the broader community.
According to distraught family members, the boys had returned home from school that afternoon, changed out of their uniforms, and told their relatives that they were heading out to play as they often did. However, when nightfall came and the children were still missing, panic set in.
Their families immediately began searching the area, asking neighbors for help and combing nearby streets, but their efforts were in vain. Fearing the worst, the families reported the boys missing at the Duduza Police Station later that night.
Zakhele Simelane, the uncle of Molefe Kgatli, spoke emotionally to reporters, recounting the family’s desperate search efforts:
“They came home from school, changed, and said they were going out to play. When it got dark and they hadn’t returned, we started asking around and looking for them.”
The search continued through the night, and in the early hours of Friday morning, a chilling discovery was made. Samukelo’s uncle, during his search efforts, found items of children’s clothing near the dam. This heartbreaking clue led searchers to the bodies of the two boys submerged in the dam’s murky waters.
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Scenes of grief and devastation unfolded at the dam as relatives and community members gathered, awaiting the official retrieval of the children’s bodies by emergency services. Many residents expressed deep frustration over delays in the recovery operation and renewed their calls for better safety measures around dangerous open water sources in the area.
The tragedy has reignited longstanding concerns among residents about the safety of children who frequently play near unsecured dams and ponds in Duduza. There are now urgent appeals to the local municipality to implement fencing, warning signs, and patrols to prevent further loss of life.
As of Friday afternoon, police were on the scene with search and rescue teams to recover the bodies and begin their investigation. While initial reports confirmed that the boys had drowned, authorities have not ruled out other possible contributing factors, including negligence or foul play.
Police are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward to assist in piecing together the events leading to this devastating incident. Meanwhile, the community of Duduza is left shattered by the untimely loss of two young lives that were full of promise and joy.
This tragedy joins a growing number of drowning incidents reported across South Africa in recent months, once again highlighting the urgent need for water safety awareness and protective infrastructure in vulnerable communities.
