Family devastated after matriculant drowns in Umfolozi River
By Nkululeko Nene
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Durban - Nimrod Mphathiseni Bophela was looking forward to celebrating his daughterâs matric results next week, but instead he is mourning her death.
Samukelisiwe drowned in the Umfolozi River last Friday.
The 18-year-old was with four other
teens who escaped.
The teenagers were returning home from picking indigenous fruit in a forest across the river when they were swept by a heavy current caused by recent heavy rains.
Nothando Khumalo, Samukelisiweâs cousin, said she was due to return to her home in Ulundi the day before she drowned. She said it was Samukelisiwe s idea to pick the wild fruit for her mother. Khumalo said four boys assisted them to cross the river but when they returned the boys, who had been swimming, were gone.