A joyful day of swimming in a dam near Fort Brown ended in the tragic drowning of Sinethemba Dayimani, 19, of Rusoord Farm in Fort Brown.
A joyful day of swimming in a dam near Fort Brown ended in the tragic drowning of Sinethemba Dayimani, 19, of Rusoord Farm in Fort Brown.
Dayimani was swimming with two friends from his farm when he drowned on Sunday 2 March, according to his father Mthuthuzeli.
Dayimani said he was not at the scene when his son drowned.
He received a phone call from a Department of Water Affairs employee informing him about the incident.
"When I arrived there were police officers all around the dam," he said.
Dayimani described it as a small dam, fed by the Glenmelville dam.
He says the police officers who were at the scene told him Sinethemba's body should have surfaced by the afternoon because the incident happened at about 10am.
"We waited for the divers to come from Port Alfred before they finally arrived at about 4pm," he said.
Nkosinathi Herman, who was also swimming, nearly drowned before being pulled out of the water by the third member of the party, said Dayimani.
However, it seems Sinethemba did not shout for help until it was too late.
"Si hay indixhwalile mpela lento yalentwana. (I am deeply hurt)," the heart-broken father said.
Mthuthuzeli said his son was very talented in woodwork, adding that he was planning to send him to initiation school in June.
"That dam is very deep and it is muddy. I don't know why he went swimming there because it's not something he normally does. He normally goes to the small quarry to swim."
Makana municipality confirmed that it was investigatingthe incident.
Municipal spokesperson Yoliswa Ramokolo said the dam belongs to the Department of Water Affairs.
"That dam is fenced off and it's far away from the houses, which means this person was trespassing," she said.
However, the family has disputed this statement, saying that the area is very close to the houses and there are no signs warning people not to enter the area.
According to Grahamstown police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender the three men had been drinking the night before.
She said the men decided to go home in the early hours of Sunday morning, stopping near a small dam on their way.
Two of the three men decided to swim in the dam according to the police.
Govender said the one who was not swimming noticed that Herman and Sinethemba were experiencing difficulty in the water and rushed in to help, managing to save Herman.
He unfortunately could not save Sinethemba.
A memorial service for Sinethemba was held at TEM Mrwetyana where he was a Grade 9 pupil.
Teachers and speakers spoke highly of Sinethemba's discipline at school.
He was described as a neat person who was always in full school uniform and who always attended school well.
It was his first year at Mrwetyana having come from Nombulelo Secondary School.
School principal Lindelo Ramokolo said he loves children from Fort Brown because of their discipline.
"The first time I took notice of him was when he came to ask me for the scholar transport form because he stays in the farm," he said.
Ramokolo said he was struck by the respectful manner in which Sinethemba approached him.
Dayimani's funeral service will take place in Fort Brown on Saturday 8 March.
