Boy (7) in tragic accidental hanging

A heartbreaking incident unfolded at Dlangeni on Monday afternoon when a seven-year-old boy accidentally hanged himself while playing a so-called “hanging game” with five other children.

The victim, Linemandla Gama, a Grade II learner at Ntfubeni Primary School, was caught in a noose he had fashioned from a piece of fabric cut to resemble a rope. He became trapped and lacked the strength to free himself.

The deceased, together with five others, had been taking turns hanging each other from a guava tree after tying the piece of fabric into a noose. It is alleged that the children would tie one another around the neck, fasten the “rope” on a tree branch, and take turns playing the hangman role before untying the target.

The children had found the piece of fabric on their way home from school.

A school committee member recalled that it was just after 2:50 pm when he received a call from a male teacher informing him that a young boy from the local primary school had accidentally hanged himself while playing on a rope they had tied to a tree.

The boy’s head became trapped in the noose after he was left alone. He had released his friends, saying he would follow behind. Once left alone, the noose reportedly tightened around his neck, and he lacked the strength to free himself.

When he did not follow as promised, one of his friends, Aphiwe Gama, became suspicious and returned to the guava tree. After calling out with no response, he looked up and saw his friend’s body dangling from the branch.

Terrified, the young boy quickly climbed the tree to free him but did not have the strength to untie the noose.

“I then saw Linemandla hanging by the neck. I ran to him. I tried to free him but started to panic and screamed for help. I saw he had his head between the noose and rushed home to report the incident to my father,” he said.

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The confused father went to investigate. Upon reaching the scene, he grabbed the boy and tried to resuscitate him, but it was too late.

“At this time, he was really panicking and knew the victim was dead,” narrated the school committee member.

The teacher had been alerted by the father, who was called by the deceased’s friend.

“The boy could have been saved but his friend did not have sufficient strength to free him on time,” the committee member lamented.

The boy’s family was devastated by the loss. His grieving father, Muzi Gama, described Linemandla as an extremely healthy boy who loved playing outdoors but was not always aware of danger.

Linemandla is believed to have fallen unconscious quickly. He was taken to hospital, where a medical practitioner declared him dead on arrival.

The father said he received the call while at work and arrived at the scene to find his son lying lifeless on the ground.

The incident drew many onlookers, mainly learners from the elementary school, who were deeply shaken.

The head teacher of the school, Sibonile Gama, confirmed the tragic incident, saying she was short of words to describe what had happened.

“This is the second tragedy in a row, and within a space of three weeks,” she said, recalling another incident three weeks earlier in which two siblings were buried by falling rubble after the wall of the house they were sleeping in collapsed due to heavy rain.

Acting Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze acknowledged receiving a report about the incident.