HEAVY RAINS: 2 BOYS BURIED ALIVE IN LANDSLIDE

NHLANGANO - A chilling silence descended upon Mbondzela when two boys, aged nine and 10, were buried alive by a landslide yesterday afternoon.
Mbondzela is under Gege Inkhundla. A landslide is the sliding down of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff. According to http:www.usgs.gov>faqs, landslides can be initiated in slopes already on the verge of movement by rainfall, snowmelt, changes in water level, stream erosion, changes in groundwater, earthquakes volcanic activity, disturbance by human activities or any combination of these factors. When the boys were buried under the mud, they are said to have been enjoying a snack of water berries. The boys are from Dlamini and Sibandze families. They were reportedly herding cattle in a nearby veld when they decided to stop by a riverbank for a brief respite.

Witnesses recounted the heart-wrenching incident. They said the boys, unaware of the impending danger, stood on the edge of a seemingly stable embankment. However, the recent heavy rains had saturated the soil, weakening its structure. Cracks gradually appeared and the ground began to tremble. Despite desperate warnings from their companions, the landslide struck with terrifying speed, burying the two boys beneath a torrent of mud and debris. The screams of the other children echoed through the valley as they witnessed the horrifying event unfold.
Community members rushed to the scene, but it was too late. The boys were tragically pronounced dead upon arrival at Nhlangano Health Centre.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirmed the incident. Vilakati highlighted the dangers of venturing into unstable terrain after heavy rainfall. Mashobeni South Bucopho Phiwo Dlamini expressed his condolences to the bereaved families, acknowledging the challenges of reaching them due to the severe weather conditions.

Comfort

He undertook to visit the families as soon as possible, to offer support and comfort during this difficult time. Meanwhile, the country has recorded two drowning incidents in the first week of 2025. One of the deceased is a 32-year-old woman of Zombodze under Ludzeludze Inkhundla in the Manzini Region. Nolwazi Dlamini, who was mentally unstable, drowned at Mtilane River, Zombodze on Monday afternoon and her body was eventually discovered by police scuba divers yesterday afternoon. The incident was confirmed by her mother, Nelisiwe, who said on Monday at around 4pm, she looked for her daughter because there was thunderstorm, but did not find her at home.Later on, Nelisiwe said she began to look for her at the neighbouring homestead and one of her neighbours asked her what Nolwazi was wearing on the day. “When I described the clothes, the neighbour said she saw her going towards Mtilane earlier on,” the grieving mother said.

After that, she said she called the police, but they did not come on the day (Monday). She said the police eventually came on Tuesday and found her body at Mtilane Bridge. The drowning was also confirmed by the chief police information and communications officer. Bongani (Dlamini), from the Royal Eswatini Police Service Scuba Divers Department, said the other downing happened on Saturday at Mbelebeleni, in the Shiselweni Region. The police officer issued a stern warning to the public, particularly in light of the current relentless rainfall across the country, which has caused rivers to swell. He confirmed that all rivers and dams in the country are now at full capacity. In December 2024 alone, police divers retrieved five bodies of individuals who had drowned in various rivers. These were just the cases the authorities were able to reach. The police officer explained that most of the victims were young children, who had ventured into the rivers to swim and cool off.

He stressed the importance of using safer crossing methods. “People must avoid crossing rivers and use bridges whenever possible,” he said. Additionally, the officer warned motorists that some bridges, particularly those over larger rivers, have been damaged due to the heavy rainfall. “The safety of emaSwati lies in avoiding driving over bridges that are submerged. If roads are not visible, motorists should not attempt to cross,” he added.

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