Boy still missing

Update Video

MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - There is a boy missing since a near drowning at Diaz Beach, Mossel Bay, on 15 February.

His name is Zubenathi Mthi (11), in Grade 4 at Imekhaya Primary School in KwaNonqaba.

On 15 February, there were two near drownings - one at about 12:00 and another at about 15:15 - both at Diaz Beach. At each of these times a child, whose pulse could not be found and who was not breathing, had to be resuscitated. Groups of children were rescued from the sea by beach goers.

After the second incident, at 15:15, a child who had been in the sea with a group of children was missing after the children had been rescued from the surf.

Later on in the afternoon of 15 February, Zubenathi's mother, Nomacwera Mthi, saw children arriving in her neighbourhood in a police vehicle.

She went to the vehicle and was told by the children Zubenathi had been with them in the sea and that he was missing.

She went to the KwaNonqaba Police Station immediately to report Zubenathi missing.

Watch a video below:

Missing person enquiry
Southern Cape regional police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie told the Mossel Bay Advertiser on enquiry: "Da Gamaskop SAPS opened a missing person enquiry into the disappearance of Zubenathi Mthi on 15 February, from where the docket was transferred to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.

"Preliminary investigation by the unit indicates a group of about seven boys from KwaNonqaba went to Diaz Beach on 15 February for a swim. Two boys who are not related to the group got into trouble in a strong current. These two were rescued and one of them was transferred to George for medical treatment.

Capt Pojie said: "During this incident, the seven boys from KwaNonqaba also rushed out of the water due to the screams from the two boys who initially got into trouble. Only after they recuperated on the beach, they realised that Zubenathi was not with them. They alerted bystanders and police members, who were on the beach and involved in saving the other two.

Sea Border Unit
"According the investigating officer, a search was launched by the police Sea Border Unit and police divers to find the missing boy. They were unable to trace the boy by sunset and resumed the search the following day.

"The search lasted for seven days before it was called off. The missing boy is presumed to have drowned. The investigating officer is in constant contact with the mother of the boy whom he also briefed in terms of the development of the case," Pojie said.

'It will be easier'
Grief-stricken Nomacwera told the Mossel Bay Advertiser: "It will be good if my boy's body could be found. It will be easier."

Nomacwera said: "I thought my son was playing near the house. I didn't know he had gone to the beach." She had been at home that day.

She had gone to Imekhaya Primary on the Monday after Zubenathi went missing and had told the school principal what had happened.

The Mossel Bay Advertiser interviewed principal of Imekhaya Winifred Gwe. She said every year lifeguards visited the school to talk to children about the dangers of swimming in the sea.

She said: "The boy's mother had told her child before that he was not allowed to go to the beach unless it was a school outing and there were lifeguards on duty."

Gwe expressed her sadness about the incident, saying no funeral could be held because the body of the Zubenathi had not been found.

Trauma counselling
She said a social worker from the Department of Education had arranged to visit the school to offer trauma counselling to Zubenathi's siblings - twins aged nine - and friends who were with him when he disappeared in the surf.

Zubenathi also has a 14-year-old sister.

There are no permanent lifeguards on beaches outside of the Christmas and Easter holidays. The municipality spends R3 million per year on lifeguard services during these two holidays.

Municipality seeks solution
Mossel Bay municipal spokesperson Nickey le Roux said: "The municipality plans to engage the business sector to sponsor the deployment of lifeguards on beaches over weekends during the summer - and especially at Diaz Beach - outside of the December and Easter holidays.

"Businesses interested in forming part of a positive solution are welcome to contact the Department of Community Services at the municipality (044 606 5000)."

Nomacwera Mthi works at a preschool in Heiderand. Photo: Linda Sparg