A three-year-old boy from New Lobengula, Bulawayo, tragically drowned on Tuesday afternoon after being swept away by floodwaters following heavy rains in the city.

The incident was confirmed by Bulawayo’s acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, who identified the victim as Sibusiso Methembe Moyo. Said Msebele (via CITE):

On 11 February 2025, at around 4 p.m., Sibusiso and his eight-year-old brother were sent on an errand by their mother. As they were walking, it started raining, and they took shelter at a local tuck shop.

She said after the rain had stopped, the boys resumed their journey home. However, on their way back, Sibusiso slipped into a drainage channel and was swept away by the fast-moving water.

According to the police, his brother quickly ran home to alert their mother, who then reported the incident.

A search operation, involving members of the public, police officers, and the fire brigade, was launched, but sadly, the child could not be found. Added Msebele:

The following morning, at around 8 a.m., a member of the neighbourhood watch committee discovered Sibusiso’s body in a drainage channel along Luveve Road, opposite Josiah Primary School.

The body was retrieved and transported to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for a post-mortem examination.