GEORGE NEWS - A ten-year-old boy who loved to cook and care for his vegetable garden lost his young life on Sunday afternoon, 19 February, when he drowned in a farm dam on Lancewood Farm off the Seven Passes Road, near Hoekwil.
According to his parents, the incident happened at about 14:20 when Philisande Mjoli and a small group of friends went to the dam, which is situated about 300m from the informal settlement where they live, called The Tavern.
Watson Nyembe, who helps to run several community projects at a neighbouring farm, Kula Malaika Foundation Farm Village, said Philisande and a friend had spent the whole Sunday morning at the Bush Café, an African restaurant, where they teach the kids to cook.
"After a full morning of cooking and entertaining the kids, we sent them home around noon on Sunday. I got a phone call a while later to inform me that a boy has gone underwater in the Lancewood Farm dam.
"I rushed there with my friend Dominique, who also works at the Bush Café.
"When we got there several people were standing on the edge of the dam. We learned that it was Philisande. Dominique used to be a diver and he went in several times in the area where Philisande went under, but could not reach him," said Nyembe.
"By then others have also tried. Apparently, a friend of Philisande, who came to the cooking class with him that morning, went in after Philisande when he vanished under the water. He got hold of his friend, but Philisande was pulling him down, so he had to let go."
The dam on Lancewood Farm where the ten-year-old Philisande Mjoli drowned on Sunday afternoon.
Free-dive search
Members of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the police dive unit and Frontier Medical Services responded to the scene after being alerted shortly before 15:00.
"Four NSRI rescue swimmers initiated a free-dive search during which the child was located and recovered to the shore," said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
"CPR efforts were commenced, but after all efforts to resuscitate the child were exhausted, sadly the child was declared deceased. The body of the child was taken into the care of government health forensic pathology services and the police have opened an inquest docket. Condolences are conveyed to the family of the child."
George Herald sent an inquiry to the police on Monday morning, but hadn't received a response by the time of going to press.
Teach farm kids to swim
"Since the incident we haven't stopped crying," said Nyembe. "He was such a beautiful, shy boy, who struggled to speak with his stutter. Everybody loved him. He was a learner at Lancewood Farm School and came to our aftercare centre after school. He was involved in so many of our community programmes."
Philisande's father, Rynu Innes, is an employee of Lancewood Farm, but he stayed with his mother, Akona Mjoli and her boyfriend at The Tavern.
Nyembe said they are now more than ever aware of the importance of teaching farm kids to swim.
Pilisande could not swim. "He probably only meant to cool off, but that farm dam gets very deep very quickly. The whole incident happened only a few metres from the dam's edge," he said.
Philisande's mother, Akona, said they are still in shock after the incident. "He was well loved at school, he was such a good boy. He loved soccer and his vegetable garden," she said.
She confirmed that Philisande has never swum before. The family will hold his funeral next weekend from their home in the informal settlement. Philisande is survived by his mother, his father and younger sister.
Philisande's father Rynu Innes is an employee of Lancewood Farm. "I went into the water after my son," he said during an interview earlier this week.
Philisande (right) and Olaf Hummel (9), a guest from the Netherlands with whom he formed a close friendship, at Kula Malaika Foundation Farm Village.
Condolences
Lancewood Farm owner Mark Rubin said the entire farm management of Lancewood Farm offer their deepest condolences to Philisande's family. "It is a very tragic incident.
"We want to inform everybody that there will be no more swimming in the farm dams and we are currently discussing the erection of 'no swimming' warning signs at all seven of our dams," said Rubin.
One of the farm managers, Hennie Niehaus, who is also a member of the Operations Support Committee of the NSRI in the Southern Cape, said they have long-term plans to teach farm children from the area to swim, with the support of the NSRI.
"Two weeks ago the idea took hold, but now, since this tragic incident took place, we [the farmers] will pursue this project with greater urgency," said Niehaus.
Philisande (right) holding a pumpkin in a vegetable patch the children tend to during aftercare.
Guests from Rondevlei (left) at the Bush Café, where Philisande (middle) and his friend learned to cook from Dominique (back).
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