Africa-Press – Zambia. A traditional family cleansing ritual turned into a devastating tragedy last weekend when a mother and her three adult children drowned in the Delfie Quarry Dam in Pienaarsport, Mamelodi, Pretoria.
According to Gauteng police, the 51-year-old woman, her 36-year-old daughter, and two sons in their twenties entered the dam as part of the ceremony but never resurfaced.
A seven-year-old girl, the youngest family member who did not participate raised the alarm after noticing the group had not returned from the water.
Emergency services, including the SAPS diving unit, were dispatched to the scene. The bodies of the mother and daughter were recovered shortly after, while the search for the two sons continued into the following day.
On Monday, 4 August, divers retrieved the remaining two bodies despite challenging conditions caused by the dam’s depth and murky water.
Boschkop police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding the drownings.
Authorities have urged the public to take precautions during traditional rituals performed in or near water sources.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
