Gogo watches helplessly as three children drown in pit

THREE children drowned in a water-logged pit left open by sand poachers in Mayambara Village in Seke yesterday.

Blessing Ndhlala, 15, a Form 2 student, Stephen Masaure, 12, (Grade 6) and Queentine Madamombe, 9, (Grade 3) were in the company of their grandmother, Mavis Nzara, 68, when they met their fate.

Gogo Mavis told H-Metro that they were looking for firewood near Hunyani River

“We were looking for firewood along the river bank when the children went to the pit,” said Gogo Mavis.

“Pavandisiya ndafunga kuti varikunotsvaga makavi. One of them shouted for help, and when I rushed there, I found them struggling, and I tried in vain to rescue them.

“I don’t know why they never went swimming in the shallow water. They just went into the pit for a reason I do not know,” said Gogo Mavis. Scores of Mayambara villagers rushed to the open pit, but it was too late as the three students had already drowned.

Also on Harare Live, three families under Chief Chireya in Gokwe North lost a total of 18 cattle to lightning on Sunday evening.

One family lost eight beasts while the other two families lost seven and three.

Mr Nyasha Chivaviro, who lost eight beasts, said he was still shocked.

“You know we are mere villagers and cattle symbolise wealth, but all the cattle are dead in a single bolt of lightning. I am pained by the loss,” he said.

Another farmer, Mr Richard Kapfumo, who lost seven beasts, said he was devastated.

“It was a violent storm, and when everyone is celebrating the coming of rains, we are now counting our losses. It is devastating that I am now left without even a single beast. I will now use the kraal logs for making firewood,” he said.

Mr Kapfumo said he used the beasts as draught power and suddenly, the rains that have come are meaningless to him as he can no longer till the land.