Kabelo Tlhabanelo
The hawker heard a scream and immediately thought that kids were just playing.
But he was shocked to realize that the screams were from people watching a child fall from the fourth floor.
What was just moments before just a crowded floor of the cheerful Waterfront Mall became the scene of a tragedy.
The hawker, who was present at the scene but wished to remain anonymous, said he was shocked to see the dead child.
“His neck seemed to have been broken. I don’t know what could have caused the child to fall because the rails are higher than his body. I have never been so scared in my life,” he said.
Thabang Motlou said he was just coming from work when he saw the ambulances rushing to the mall.
“I don’t want to speculate but I think the child could have been climbing on the rails before he slipped to his death. This is a saddening incident and I hope the family is comforted,” he said.
Police spokesman Brigadier Motantsi Makhele confirmed the incident.
He said a family of four people from Bergman Square in Mangaung visited the mall, and at about 2:30pm, they headed towards the parking area.
“The father remained behind to pay for the parking ticket and when he joined the other members of the family, noticed that the three year old son was missing. They immediately started looking for the boy and met the security officer who informed them that their child had fallen to the ground.”
They rushed to the spot where the child’s lifeless body was lying. Parkweg police and paramedics were called and the child was declared dead on the scene.
“An Inquest docket was opened at Parkweg Police Station for further investigation,” said Makhele.
