The family of a two-year-old boy who died from electrocution in Marikana informal settlement, Philippi East, is appealing for community assistance to give him a proper burial.
Khwezi Nkumbini died on Wednesday, 29 October, after being electrocuted while playing with other children. He died on the way to hospital.
His grandmother, Nosizile Nkumbini (54), said she was bathing another child when the incident occurred.
“Khwezi and the other children were playing outside. I asked his mother to look for him. Then I heard her screaming,” she said.
“We went outside and found him lying on the ground near the communal toilet. His mouth had turned purple. We suspect he put a live wire in his mouth.”
Nkumbini said the area has numerous illegal electrical connections with unconnected live wires hanging loose, including on the ground.
The family cannot afford burial costs and doesn’t know when or how they will bury Khwezi.
“We plan to bury the baby here in Marikana because we don’t have money to transport his body to the Eastern Cape,” Nkumbini said. “We are all unemployed, including Khwezi’s mother. We survive on child-support grants.”
“We are appealing for help from anyone who can contribute so we can give my grandchild a decent burial.”
Community leader Pamela Mayile echoed the family’s appeal, describing their situation as “very dire.”
Regarding the illegal connections, Mayile said the City had informed the community that electricity would not be installed in Marikana because the area is designated as wetlands.
