Girl, 4, drowns in stormwater canal
THE KIMBERLEY police have opened an inquest docket following the drowning of four-year-old Dikeledi van Schalkwyk, whose body was found a kilometre away from where she had fallen into a stormwater canal on Wednesday.
Dikeledi was reportedly playing with her two cousins near her home in Amarula shacks in Greenpoint when she slipped and fell into the canal that runs past her home.
Her body was retrieved by her 18-year-old brother, with the help of a friend, in the river at Jack Boma farm.
The canal was apparently overflowing due to the heavy rains experienced in Kimberley over the past few days.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Dikeledi Gopane said it is alleged that a group of children were playing when the deceased fell into a ditch and drowned.
The incident happened just after 2pm on Wednesday after the rain had stopped.
Dikeledi’s distraught mother, Lisa, said she was busy at the washing line while the children were playing within her view.
Lisa said she saw the two cousins disappear behind the shack and she called them to move away from the canal, which is not fenced off.
According to her, the children knew that they were not supposed to go near the canal, especially when it rained.
“I only heard her scream ‘mamma’ and when I checked she had disappeared into the water. I shouted for the older brother who rushed out of the shack,” said Lisa.
“My eyes were just on the water and by then she was disappearing into the strong current running down the canal.
“The brother jumped into the water and was trying to swim as fast as he could but she was too far.”
The brother, Harry van Schalkwyk, said he tried his best but he could not reach his young sister.
Harry said he saw her pop up twice while he was in the canal.
“When I saw her the first time I got out of the water and ran next to the canal in order to have a better view. To me it felt like a solution to reach her faster.
“It was also challenging for me because there are rocks and other dangerous objects that I continued to bump into while I was swimming.
“I found a higher spot to stand in order to get a better view. When I saw her again I saw her head sticking out and she flipped around with her face visible.
“I jumped into the water, very close to where I saw her again. Just when I was about to grab her I dove into a rock and hurt myself.
“I felt weak and got out of the water.”
Harry said he saw some people who were watching what was happening.
“I asked the bystanders to help me but they just looked at me. I knew there was nothing I could do to save her life. They warned me not to go in any more because it was too deep and dangerous where her body was spotted.”
“I walked back home and told the family that I could not save her.”
Harry said he returned to the dam with volunteers who helped to find his sister’s body.
“We found her at a spot where the water was stagnant but her body had already turned blue.”
