A 13-year-old's desperate attempt to save his PlayStation CD cost him his life.
Tshepo Makhetha had on Friday tried to retrieve a CD that had fallen into a dam at the old New Market race course in Alberton, when he drowned. His body was recovered on Saturday.
Tshepo, his younger brother Lehlohonolo and a friend, Zamani Shange, were returning from a video shop when they decided to look at fish in the Alberton Dam.
Tshepo had paid a video shop R10 to have his CD cleaned.
Zamani said when they left the dam, Tshepo told them he had to go back and get his CD.
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However, it was not clear how and when Tshepo's CD had landed in the water.
Zamani and Lehlohonolo went ahead, while Tshepo went back to the dam.
"From a distance, we saw him jumping into the water, got the game (CD) and put it in his pants. Suddenly, he went under the water and we could not see him," said Zamani.
Lehlohonolo dived into the water trying to rescue his brother, but was trapped in the long grass.
Zamani went in, but he also got entangled in the grass.
"I pulled hard, eventually I managed to get out," Zamani said.
Lehlohonolo also managed to pull himself out of the water. They then ran home.
Tshepo's devastated father Parks said he was at home when the teenagers came running to tell him his son had drowned.
"I rushed to the dam. There was no sign of life. He was not there. There was not even a sign of a struggle.
"The dam was dark and the water was dirty, I could not see a thing," he said.
Makhetha then contacted the Ekurhuleni emergency management services. The search started just before 7pm.
Makhetha said the divers constantly complained that the water was not safe.
"They said they risked losing their lives. A captain said he would have cancel the search.
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