Karabo Rammutla
The family of the late Katlego Matlanyane say the Mamelodi Quarry management has spat in their grieving faces.
The quarry offered the family R1,000 worth of grocery vouchers to bury their son, despite earlier promising that the company would cover the total cost of burial.
The 12-year-old from the east of Mamelodi and three of his friends went swimming at a nearby stream on Saturday.
Katlego’s father Tlanke Mahlase said the friends told him they all walked to the quarry to wash the mud off their clothes in the clear water.
He said his son went into the water first and drowned, leaving his friends traumatised.
Mahlase said the owner of the quarry admitted that if he had fenced his mine, the kids wouldn’t have entered the property.
He said the man even sent two workers to apologise and told the family that they would help pay to bury Katlego.
“Although we were in extreme pain, we thought the owner was a reasonably sensible man who was also hurt and was willing to help us,” he said.
He said his wife went to Ga-Masemola in Limpopo to prepare for the funeral.
“I’m afraid to tell her that I only got a R1,000 grocery voucher from a man who promised to help us. This will devastate her. What will R1,000 do?” he said.
He said he will deal with the quarry after the burial of his son.
“I will try to bury my child in dignity and afterwards see what steps I can take against the quarry. I feel he disrespected us,” he said.
Scrolla.Africa phoned the quarry and a lady who identified herself as a receptionist said the matter is private and will be dealt with by the family and the quarry before hanging up the phone.
Mamelodi East police station spokesperson Constable Lethabo Mashiloane said an inquest docket was being investigated.
