Delft residents tried in vain to rescue 12-year-old Ayabonga Mkele from a burning shack yesterday.
He was declared dead at the scene after two shacks were destroyed in the fire, which broke out just after 9am yesterday. The cause of the fire, which claimed Ayabonga’s, life was not determined.
The boy’s traumatised father, Thamsanqa, told the Cape Times that he and his son had spent time watching TV the night before the incident.
“He really enjoyed playing soccer and was enjoying the last week of school holidays.”
Ayabonga’s uncle, Thabang Malgas, said the boy’s mother, who is currently in the Eastern Cape with their three-year-old daughter, was devastated by the news.
“When Thamsanqa left for work, he woke Ayabonga to lock the door behind him. Ayabonga locked the door and that was the last he saw his son.”
Ayabonga was a pupil at Kairos Primary School in Leiden. He will be buried in the Eastern Cape.
Police spokesperson Sinathi Joni said an inquest has been opened at Delft police station.
Meanwhile, paramedics discovered a 20-year-old man, who had been electrocuted, near the Du Toit train station in Cloetesville.
According to witnesses, the man got too close to the train tracks and was electrocuted on Tuesday.
ER24’s spokesperson, Werner Vermaak, said: “ER24 arrived after 5pm to a crowd of people surrounding the deceased man next to the train tracks. He was declared dead on the scene. Circumstances about the incident are not yet known to paramedics.”