Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
PLAY-time ended tragically for an 11-year-old boy from Adelaide Park in Harare this Sunday after he drowned in a water-filled open pit that had been left unattended.
The deceased, Tanaka Makosa, was in the company of his friend when he slipped inside the water-filled pit.
“I asked Tanaka to accompany me to Area 600. Upon our return, we passed through the water-filled pit and Tanaka said I want to test how deep the water is, that’s when he slipped inside. He called my name once before his whole body was submerged in water. That’s when I rushed to look for help,” a young boy who was with Tanaka narrated the ordeal.
Help came, but it was already too late to save the young boy.
“When I heard a child had drowned, I quickly dashed to the spot, removed my clothes and went inside the water. My whole body was submerged in water because the pit was deep. I then managed to locate the child and carried him out of the water, but I noticed that we had already lost him,” a neighbour, Mr Japhet Chinganga said.
His mother, Mrs Mercy Taimo narrated her sad story.
“I spent the greater part of the day with Tanaka and his friend here at home. I didn’t even notice the time they left home. I only became aware they were not home after my other son came running saying Tanaka had drowned. We then rushed to the spot and by the time we arrived, my child had been taken out of the water. We then drove to a nearby clinic, but unfortunately, it was too late.”
Adelaid Park residents have raised concern over the open pits dotted across the area.
“This is not the only pit in this area, there are a lot of holes dug by the quarry mine and we don’t even know why they are putting the lives of our children at risk,” a resident said.
“We have little children and how are we supposed to ensure our kids are safe? Kids being kids, they love to explore,” voiced another.
“Apart from these dangerous pits, our children are at risk of being run over by speeding trucks from the mine,” another stated.
The company which runs the stone quarry gave a technical excuse for the open pits.
“These pits were dug by the director Mr Ho in an effort to unclog the road during the rainy season. They were dug in 2022 and the one where the boy drowned is about 1.8 metres. We are saddened by the unfortunate event and we are working on reclaiming the pits,” Gum Tree Mine manager Mr Brian Gwelo said.
Apart from damaging the environment, disused pits left unsecured continue to claim lives, hence the call for a permanent solution to prevent similar tragedies.
