Pretoria – POLICE at Standerton in Mpumalanga are probing an incident in which a 12-year-old boy as well as his 33-year-old aunt died after falling into a maize silo.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the tragic incident happened on Friday evening.
“According to the report, on that dreadful day the boy somehow fell inside the silo, which contained maize, at Groenvlei farm near Standerton. Subsequent to that, his aunt, Jackie Rautenbach tried to pull him out but also fell inside,” said Mohlala.
“The woman's husband, who was few metres away is said to have heard loud screams for help and rushed closer to the scene but it was sadly too late to save their lives.”
The two were certified dead at the scene by paramedics.
“An inquest case is being investigated by the police as well as the circumstances surrounding this shocking incident. No foul play is suspected at this stage,” said Mohlala.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has expressed sadness over the death of the two family members.
In an unrelated incident last month, the police in Mpumalanga last month expressed shock after a 21-year-old man who was admitted to hospital was found hanging from a tree.
At the time, Mohlala said the incident occurred in the early hours of June 16 at Schoemansdal in Nkomazi.
“According to the information, at around 8am, police and the paramedics received information from members of the public about a lifeless body of a man in the bushes. Upon arrival at the scene, the young man was found hanging from a tree, wearing the attire normally worn by patients in hospital,” said Mohlala.
“He was, unfortunately, certified dead by the medical personnel.”
“Preliminary investigation has since revealed that the 21-year-old man, who has not yet been identified by his family, was earlier admitted as a patient at Shongwe Hospital but then reportedly discharged himself earlier in the morning, without permission from the authorities at the hospital.”
Police opened an inquest into the death.
IOL