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The body of Michael Mudau is taken away in government mortuary van from the scene.

Suicide drowning

 

A 22-year-old Grade 12 learner of Luphai Secondary School at Tshikunda outside Thohoyandou allegedly committed suicide on Sunday morning by drowning himself in the Tshikunda Phiphidi Dam.

Avhavhdzani Michael Mudau of Tshikunda is alleged to have climbed over a big wall of the local dam. Apparently, he threw himself into the deep waters of the dam and subsequently drowned. The incident has shocked all who knew him as a staunch ZCC member, dedicated to his school work.

Mudau's aunt, Ms Avhapfani Lucia Tshamano, said she was attending a funeral when she received a call that the young man was behaving strangely and threatening to take his own life. "I rushed home and the family sat down with him, and we tried to show him the positives of life. He left with his friend, but he disappeared and never returned.”

They were later informed about his death and the circumstances around it. “We are saddened and devastated; his death came so suddenly and unexpectedly," she said.

She said despite having failed some of his classes, he had a dream that he would one day be something in life. She added that he never consumed alcohol and was not involved in the many bad things some of his peers were into. He will be buried at the Tshikunda Phiphidi Cemetery on Saturday.

Ward 31 Thulamela municipal councillor Ms Lydia Singo has urged learners to share whatever problems they might be encountering at school and in life general. Singo, who was also at the scene of the drowning, comforted learners at the dam. "We are saddened and urge all in the community to speak about the issue of suicide. As a community, we can come up with ways to address this scourge.”

Limpopo police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed the drowning. "We have opened an inquest docket, following the drowning of Michael Mudau. His body was successfully retrieved by our divers and no body parts were missing," said Ngoepe.

 

Grief-stricken family members stand helplessly at the scene where their beloved Michael had apparently committed suicide.

A diver is ready to search the dam where Michael drowned.

 

Date:25 August 2018

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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