The pit latrine (toilet). Picture: Supplied
WITH 30 years of democracy under its belt, the last thing South Africa should still be witnessing are the deaths of children as a result of drowning in pit latrines.
Recently news reports surfaced that a 3-year-old boy from Mdantsane, Eastern London, had drowned after falling into a pit latrine at the Little Champions Day Care Centre.
Little Unecebo Mboteni was discovered in a pit latrine on Thursday by a member of staff at the centre after they noticed he was not with the other children.
He was rushed to the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital following the discovery, and later transferred to the Frere Hospital’s ICU, where he died on Friday.
Eastern Cape police have reportedly opened an investigation looking into the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.
African Transformation Movement (ATM) president Vuyolwethu Zungula expressed the party’s condolences to the family, stressing that the loss of Unecebo was a devastating and unacceptable tragedy that should never have occurred.
Zungula said the tragic event served as a call to action for all stakeholders, including government authorities, community leaders, and civil society organisations, to come together and redouble efforts to prevent any further incidents from happening.
“We must work tirelessly to improve infrastructure, address sanitation issues, and uphold the dignity of all our citizens, especially children. As we stand in solidarity with the family affected by this tragic occurrence may we honour the young boy by committing to creating a society where such heartbreaking tragedies are never repeated.
“We call on the Department of Social Development to intervene with counselling services for the students affected by this trauma, as well as the family members grappling with the loss. It is crucial to provide psychosocial support to help individuals cope with the emotional impact of such a devastating event and begin the healing process,” he said.
The party stressed that it remained unwavering in its commitment to fighting for the restoration of human dignity for all people in the country, especially as the time for change was now.
“Enough is enough. We will continue to advocate for policies and initiatives that prioritise the well-being and safety of every individual, especially the most vulnerable members of our society,” Zungula added.
The Social Development Department was yet to confirm whether psychosocial support has been offered to the family since the incident.
The Star
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