Two boys drown near Harmony mine site as Free State families demand answers

Two young boys tragically drowned near a former Harmony Gold mine site in the Free State. Thabo Diloko, 9, and Lethabo Abrahams, 8, lost their lives after four other boys swam in a mine dam on August 29th. Thabo's body was recovered the same day, but Lethabo's wasn't found until two days later after a missing persons report was filed with the police.

The families of the boys are demanding answers and believe the tragedy could have been prevented if the area had been properly fenced off. Harmony Gold confirmed the incident occurred near its Target 2 Rock Dump but declined to provide information about the ownership of the land, the presence of fencing, and the safety measures in place at the time of the drowning.

Local community leaders have called for the government and mining company to take responsibility for the old mining area, which has been a source of concern for residents for years.