At the Groot Letaba River in the Limpopo settlement of Nwamarhanga, a 27-year-old man from South Africa called Ronald Rikhotso perished, according to sources.
The incident happened on March 18, 2023, when the victim reportedly fell into the water after being baptized and drowned. The incident was confirmed on Sunday by Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, a spokesperson for the Limpopo police.
A baptism took a terrible turn when a 27-year-old male congregant fell into the water and drowned shortly after being baptized in the Groot Letaba River in the community of Nwamarhanga on March 18, 2023. The police in Giyani have opened a case of inquest.
“According to the information, the church members had been participating in religious ceremonies under the direction of their priest, and once the meeting was over, one of the members returned to the river to gather water. Ronald Rikhotso, a 27-year-old guy, is claimed to have slipped and drowned, according to reports.
Colonel Ledwaba noted in a statement that the victim’s body was pulled from the river by divers from the SAPS Provincial Search and Rescue Unit after the police were informed of the occurrence.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, issued a warning to the public after the incident on the usage of dams and waterways for any purpose, including religious activities.