- The recent heatwave in Limpopo claimed the lives of two three-year-old boys.
- They had accidentally locked themselves inside an old vehicle and suffocated to death.
- The boys, who are related, disappeared on Monday morning.
The recent scorching weather in Limpopo claimed the lives of two boys, who ostensibly locked themselves inside an old vehicle by mistake and suffocated to death.
The two boys, aged three, disappeared on Monday and their bodies were discovered 12 hours later in a wrecked vehicle.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the boys, who are related, went missing while attending a local church in Maupa village around 08:30.
"It was only realised in the evening that the children were missing. A search for the minors was launched by their elders around the village, but they were not found," said Ngoepe.
The two boys were then reported missing at Bellview satellite police station and a joint search operation was launched by the Saps K9 Unit and the local police, with the support of the residents.
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"Subsequently, late at night on the same day, at about 20:30, the boys were finally found inside the backseat of the wrecked vehicle at one of the residences of the deceased.
"Preliminary police investigations indicated that the boys were playing inside the vehicle when they were accidentally locked and unable to free themselves.
"Unfortunately, there was no immediate assistance to free them and they suffocated to death due to the heatwave that was experienced during the day," Ngoepe said.
An inquest was opened and police were awaiting postmortem reports to determine the cause of death.
Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba said he was shocked and saddened by all incidents affecting children in the province.
Ledwaba called on all members of the community to strengthen measures on child safety, to avoid this type of incident from occurring.