The memorial service for six-year-old Khaya Magadla was held in Dlamini, in Soweto on Friday.
It took place at the very park – just a stone’s throw away from his home – where he fell into a manhole while playing with friends last month.
The child’s body was found last Saturday at the wastewater treatment plant near the Eldorado Park Cemetery following an extensive search through the sewer pipeline nearly three weeks after the incident.
Surrounded by family, friends, and community members, Magadla’s parents and grandparents took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the manhole that led to his demise.
The ceremony saw the release of 20 white doves at the end.
Family spokesperson Derrick Mngomezulu said they also performed cultural rituals to acknowledge Magadla’s spirit at the very location he was last seen.
“As black people, we must respect our dead. It doesn’t matter at what age but they had to go speak to him to allow this to happen. His spirit basically ended there so that’s where his spirit is.”
The second part of the program took place inside a white marquee at the park – where the acting City of Jo’burg Mayor Ronald Harris, Action SA leader Herman Mashaba and Soweto Parliament’s Nhlanhla Lux Mohlauli joined the family and Magadla’s schoolmates.
-EWN
In other news – Inside Minnie Dlamini’s single life
South African media personality, actress, and model Minenhle Dlamini, known as Minnie Dlamini not only has a thriving career but a thriving personal life as well.
In 2017 Minnie and Quinton Jones got engaged and went on to officiate their marriage in a news-making wedding. On 15 February 2022, Minnie broke the news on social media that she and her husband Quinton Jones’ divorce was official. Learn More