A heartbroken dad is making a plea for help with a DNA test which will help to identify the body of his toddler who was found floating in a sewage dam.
Little Hlaluminathi Daki, 3, was last seen playing near his home in Zwelitsha, Khayelitsha, on Tuesday, 24 September, and his lifeless body was only found a week later, floating in murky waters on Wednesday morning.
His grief-stricken father Lizo Pelu says community members and the police helped search for the boy.
The hartseer dad says: “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.”
Lizo says his youngest child was at home with his mom when he went missing.
He explains: “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. 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 to what had happened and they helped to look for him.
“The police came after his disappearance, they brought the K-9 Unit.”
The father says cops eventually brought in drones, which spotted his son’s body on Wednesday morning at 6am.
He says at the moment he doesn’t suspect foul play, adding: “We just don’t know what to think.
“All we know is that he drowned in a dam filled with raw sewage. We are devastated.”
The Khayelitsha family was hit with another blow after they went to identify Hlalunathi’s body.
Lizo adds: “We went to Tygerberg mortuary, and we were informed that the body is badly damaged and we must do a DNA test, which costs R1800.
“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 says Harare police registered an inquest docket for further investigation.
She reports: “A post mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
If anyone would like to assist with the DNA test please contact Lizo Pelu on 073 000 9059.