Cape Town - A father has pleaded for assistance to obtain a DNA test that will help identify the body of his toddler found floating in a sewage dam.
Little Hlaluminathi Daki, 3, was last seen playing near his home in Zwelitsha, Khayelitsha, on September 24. His lifeless body was found floating in murky waters on Wednesday morning.
His grief-stricken father, Lizo Pelu, said residents and police helped to search for the boy.
“At the time his body was found, we were still busy with the police.
“We were told that he was identified by the clothes he was last seen wearing, a navy blue track top and maroon track pants.
“Residents said they couldn’t see his face but just his upper body.”
Pelu said the day his last-born son went missing, he was at home with his mother.
“He was with other children from the neighbourhood, playing outside our home.
“After some time passed, his mother went to look for him but didn’t find him and she even went to the parks but he wasn’t there either.
“We went to the community leaders who used the loudhailer to alert the community what had happened and they helped to look for him.
“The police came after his disappearance, they brought the K-9 Unit.”
Pelu said after a search, police brought in drones, which spotted the body of his son.
Pelu said at the moment, he doesn’t suspect foul play.
“We just don’t know what to think happened. All we know is that he drowned in a dam filled with raw sewage. We are devastated by what happened.”
The Khayelitsha family was hit with another blow after they went to identify and collect Daki’s body.
“We went to Tygerberg mortuary, and we were informed that the body is badly damaged and we must do a DNA test, which costs R1 800.
“We don’t have the money, we are going to have to ask the community or anyone else to assist us so we can collect our son’s body and bury him as soon as possible.”
Police spokesperson, Anelisiwe Manyana, said Harare police registered an inquest docket for further investigation following the discovery of the body of a boy in a dam.
“A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” Manyana said.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 0860010111.
If anyone would like to assist with the DNA test, contact Pelu on 073 000 9059.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za