'No parent should ever bury their child' - heartbreak following deaths of four PE children

A Port Elizabeth community is still reeling following the deaths of four children who are believed to have consumed a toxic substance on Sunday afternoon.

The four are said to have been playing at a dumping site close to their homes when they ate food they found between the rubble.

Three-year-old Alunamda Mqawu her sister, ten-year-old Zintle, two siblings five-year-old Alizwa Rhwayibana and eleven-year-old Asive died after being rushed to a nearby clinic.

Rhwayibana family spokesperson, Sive Singatha says the families of the four children are struggling to come to terms with the ordeal.

"We are very hurt, we are shocked. We didn't imagine this would happen in a hundred years. It's very hurtful for a parent to bury her own child, it's supposed to be the child who's burying the parent," says Singatha.

"The communities, the families were hurt."

Singatha has blamed the lack of basic services for the tragedy.

"That dumping site is being cleaned today for the first time since 2017.

"Until this happened, nothing was done about it," she adds.

The children will be laid to rest on Saturday.

Police are investigating claims that 'chips and cheese' found at the dumping site might have led to the death of the four children.

Provincial police spokesperson Andre Beetge says an inquest docket has been opened.

"All the children, friends, were apparently playing close to their homes and ate some food stuffs they found between the rubble. Some rumours about chips and cheese were doing the rounds" says Beetge.

A seven-year-old victim survived the ordeal.

ALSO READ: