Johnson Progress

A festive day in Kwekwe turned to tragedy when a five-year-old boy and a 31-year-old man drowned in a water-filled excavation pit on Christmas Day, in an incident that has left the Mzila Compound community in mourning.

The harrowing event occurred on December 25, 2025, at Redcliffe, when the young child was playing near the dangerous, two-metre-deep pit.

According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the tragedy began when the boy’s plaything, an empty two-litre plastic container, drifted into the murky water.

In a desperate and fatal attempt to retrieve the floating container, the minor fell into the pit and was submerged. The ensuing commotion caught the attention of a 31-year-old man who was in the vicinity.

Witnesses stated that the man, who had been drinking beer nearby, immediately rushed to the scene in a brave attempt to save the child.

Tragically, that rescue attempt ended in further catastrophe. Authorities confirmed that the would-be hero also fell into the deep pit, leading to a double drowning that stunned local residents.

The grim task of recovery fell to patrons from a nearby bar, who managed to retrieve the bodies of both victims from the water.

The ZRP, detailing the somber aftermath, reported that the bodies were then transported to the Kwekwe General Hospital mortuary, where post-mortem examinations are scheduled to be conducted.

Community members, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the incident, expressed profound shock and grief.

They described the area around the unfenced and unprotected pit as a known hazard, particularly for children.

A local resident, whose home is near the scene, emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, “This is a disaster we all feared might happen one day. That pit has been there for months, collecting rainwater, with no barrier or warning sign. It became a death trap.”

Another witness to the aftermath echoed the sentiment of communal loss and frustration.

“To lose two lives, especially on Christmas, is unbearable,” the witness said.

“We watched those brave men from the bar pull them out, and the silence was deafening. A little boy and the man who tried to be his savior are both gone. When will property owners be held responsible for leaving such dangers open?”

The ZRP has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the drownings.

While the identities of the deceased have been withheld pending formal notification of next of kin, preliminary reports suggest the 31-year-old man was known to the child’s family, amplifying the tragedy’s intimate toll on the compound.

This incident has ignited urgent calls from the Redcliffe community and local leaders for the municipal authorities to mandate the proper filling-in or secure fencing of all abandoned excavations and pits within residential areas.

They argue that such preventable hazards pose an ongoing threat to public safety, particularly in high-density suburbs where children play.

As investigations continue, the community of Mzila Compound is left to grapple with the heartbreaking cost of a neglected hazard, a loss made even more poignant by the heroic, yet fatal, attempt at rescue that compounded the initial tragedy.