The boat company at Zoo Lake was responsible for the drowning of two children at a Children’s Day festival in November last year, the Gauteng social services department said on Thursday.
”On our part all necessary precautions had been taken. It was circumstances beyond our control that led to the accident.
”It all points to the boating company — they allowed overloading on boats,” social services and population development MEC Angie Motshekga told reporters in Johannesburg.
She, however, conceded that the department should have considered the implications of hosting such an event at the lake.
”There are other logistical and environmental issues that led to the accident. We will not hold events of that size again.”
Motshekga said the festivities got out of hand because parents started drinking and there were not enough teachers to control the huge number of children.
”It was just not manageable. It was just a nightmare… some of the mothers lost their kids there… children were left there at night.”
The same event was hosted successfully at Zoo Lake in 1999 and 2000, she said.
”But last year was the first year that the boat ferry was operating. They’re a private entity running a business… but they did overload and very few life jackets were worn.”
Motshekga said the Lions International boathouse was requested more than once to cease operations for the day.
”If they cooperated with us, there would have been no accident. The blame is pointing to the company … we will hand it over to the public prosecutor to see if the case can be taken further.”
The department on Thursday released a report by a commission of inquiry into the accident.
Sibongile Mochabela (13) from Soweto, and Lucky Ravhutsi (13) from Louis Trichardt, drowned while using a boat during the festivities on November 3.
The report recommended that future events be held on a smaller scale and the choice of venue should eliminate all possible risks such as ”a large expanse of water”.
It was also necessary that the final authority to stop an event should rest with a clearly defined person or group.
Lions International representative at Zoo Lake, Ron Draper, said the company’s lawyer spoke to the members of the commission of inquiry during their investigation.
”The boats were hijacked by these drunken school children. We lost a lot of life jackets. There was no sort of security there at all.
”They are looking for a scapegoat and come hell or high water, they’ll find one,” he said.
Keith Broad, a member of the boat club, said the employees were about to cease operations but then the police stepped in and arrested them. He said the prosecutor later dropped charges of manslaughter because of a lack of evidence.
While those involved in the accident are arguing about liability, the grief-stricken families of the drowned children have to deal with their losses.
Sibongile’s sister, Mampho Mochabela (21) said her family was ”not well” and they spoke about Sibongile every day.
”The organisers went to Zoo Lake and they saw there was water there… they should have at least have had life savers and life jackets… (then) maybe she would have been still alive,” she said. – Sapa