A devastating tragedy has struck the communities of Lawley and Tshepisong, leaving a family shattered after six-year-old Lethabo Mzolo died while walking 32 kilometres to see his sick mother. What started as an innocent attempt to reunite with her turned into a harrowing journey of exhaustion, cold, and hunger that ended just one kilometre from home.
A Journey of Love and Desperation
Lethabo was among four cousins — aged 13, 8, 7, and 6 — who frequently travelled between Lawley, south of Johannesburg, and Tshepisong in Mogale City. The children were familiar with the route, but the 32km distance is a challenge even for adults. On Thursday, 17 July, Lethabo persuaded his cousins to walk with him to Tshepisong to visit his ill mother, who was staying with relatives.
Without informing any adults, the children set off on foot, unaware of how treacherous the journey would become. As evening fell, the temperature dropped, and the children found themselves walking alone through dark, isolated roads with no food, water, or proper clothing. When the boys failed to return home, their worried family in Lawley reported them missing — but by then, the children were far along their journey, battling the winter cold.
A Night of Fear and Helplessness
Just one kilometre away from their destination, Lethabo collapsed in an open veld, his small body unable to endure the freezing weather, exhaustion, and dehydration. His cousins tried desperately to keep him warm throughout the night, but their efforts were in vain.
“He just wanted to see his mother,” a grieving family member said, her voice breaking. “That’s all he wanted — to see her and comfort her while she was sick.”
On Friday morning, the oldest cousin, barely able to walk, reached their family home in Tshepisong. His feet were swollen, his lips cracked, and his face pale from fatigue and cold. When relatives asked where the others were, he pointed back down the road.
A Heartbreaking Discovery
The family rushed out and found the remaining children in dire condition. “They were in terrible shape — one had blood coming from his mouth, and they were all severely dehydrated. Their little feet were badly swollen. We carried them home on our backs,” a family member recalled with tears.
Sadly, Lethabo had already passed away, just a few steps from safety. The family suspects the children may have drunk contaminated dam water to survive, but the postmortem report is still pending. Doctors believe his death was likely caused by a combination of extreme cold, hunger, and dehydration.
A Call for Change
This heartbreaking incident has sparked calls for stronger community measures to protect children from undertaking dangerous journeys alone. “Kids shouldn’t be walking such long distances. It’s not safe, and it’s not right,” a neighbour said.
Lethabo’s story is a painful reminder of the silent struggles many children face daily — enduring long walks to reach loved ones, coping with poverty, and facing dangers no child should encounter.
He walked 32 kilometres out of love for his mother. He died just one kilometre from home. May his little soul rest in peace.
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