Lying on a hospital bed with a bandaged leg and arm, devastated nine-year-old Siyabonga Msomi cannot help but remember how his best friend died while rescuing him from the jaws of a crocodile.
He owes his life to brave Themba Nhlebela, 10, who died when the crocodile turned on him after he rescued Siyabonga from the crocodile’s grip.
The boys were swimming in the Nseleni River in the Ndlov’yangena area in Mpevu near Empangeni.
Recovering from the tragedy at Ngwelezane Hospital in Empangeni, Msomi told how he, Nhlebela and their friends had been sent home on Tuesday last week, because they had pink eye.
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He owes his life to brave Themba Nhlebela As it was hot, they decided to go for a swim.
“As we were getting out of the water, I suddenly felt something grab my leg.
“I was dragged backwards, and I looked down and saw the crocodile. I called out to my friends for help. Everyone ran out of the water
“Themba then ran back into the water and tried to free me from the crocodile’s grip. He pulled me and the crocodile tried to drag me back under the water.
“I managed to break loose and I ran out of the water, but as Themba tried to get out, the crocodile caught him and he disappeared under the water.
'We've always warned children about swimming there' “That was the last time I saw my friend alive. I’ll never forget what happened that day – he died while trying to save me.”
Msomi sustained bite wounds to his left leg and arm and a cut across his chest.
The two boys were pupils at Mpevu Primary School and were in the same Grade 3 class.
“I owe my life to Themba. I should have been the one who died that day, but he sacrificed his life for me. I will never swim in the river again,” said a shaken Msomi.
After Themba’s disappearance the community alerted the police. They sent a search and rescue team which came back empty-handed.
However, the community did not stop searching and eventually found a lung floating in the water.
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