Vryheid boys who drowned to be laid to rest
Two of the three boys who drowned on Monday at Padda Dam in Vryheid, will be laid to rest today and tomorrow.
It's believed that the boys had rode to the dam on their bicycles to play in the water.
A couple who had been walking their dog later discovered a body floating in the dam. When they noticed the three bikes they immediately alerted authorities - who later recovered all three bodies.
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One of the boys, 8-year-old Junior Ramagala, was a grade two pupil at New Republic School. His school principal, Jasper Jonker, says local pastors have been counselling Junior's peers who are still in shock.
"Luckily we have quite a few staff members who are married to pastors, so on Tuesday we had a service at school and on Wednesday, at the request of the parents, we had a special memorial service for them at the hall because Junior is going to be buried in Thaba Nchu [Free State]," he said.
Another victim, Mfundo Dlamini, was a pupil at Victory Primary School. His principal, Joan Claassen, says the school found out about the grade one pupil's death from his twin sister the next day.
"The grade 1 pupils actually did not understand what happened. When they eventually realised what the word 'dead' means they were very sad and cried. They even wrote him a few letters to put on his desk and to say goodbye, she said.
The third boy who died was 11 and attended Bhekizulu Primary School.
(Photo: AFP)