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PHUTI MOSOMANE
EMERGENCY Medical Services have confirmed the death of Onkutlwile Pholo who tragically drowned in a pit toilet in Odendaalsrus in the Free State.
Upon arrival at the scene, the EMS spokesperson, Sipho Towa, confirmed that the child had already passed away.
The EMS team then promptly handed over the scene to the law enforcement agencies.
According to SA Police Services (SAPS) provincial police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng, the toddler was with her sister when they went to the back of the shack at the time of the incident.
It was later discovered that the yard was unfenced and there was an uncovered hole leading to the pit toilet.
The police determined that the child fell into the hole and drowned in the water and rubble inside.
According to Thakeng, “Onkutlwile Pholo, a one-year and eight-month-old boy, fell into the pit toilet and drowned. We are currently investigating the incident as an inquest, and the child’s next of kin have been informed.
SAPS divers were called to the scene to retrieve the body from the pit toilet, and a case has been registered for further investigation.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has extended heartfelt condolences to the Pholo family.
“No child should suffer such a fate. The DA has repeatedly raised concerns about the use of pit toilets in all provinces, but the replies show that little to no progress is being made to eradicate these undignified structures.”
“In response to similar incidents in schools, the DA is launching a 2-point plan to eliminate school pit toilets across South Africa to prevent any other family from experiencing the tragic indignity endured by the Pholo family. We will work with civil society organizations, public advocacy groups, and NGOs in the education sector to achieve these goals,” DA provincial leader Dr Roy Jankielsohn said.
He said until all South Africans have access to basic necessities like housing, sanitation, and food security, “we will never be truly free.”
Last month, a four-year-old child Langalam Viki drowned inside a school pit latrine toilet in Lady Frere in the Cacadu district in the Eastern Cape.
There are over 1,000 schools in the Eastern Cape that are still using pit latrines.
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