The city of Kadoma is in mourning after the tragic death of Godfrey Kawocho, a Kadoma City Council employee, who perished while attempting to rescue his colleagues from a sewer manhole, H-metro has reported.
The incident occurred two weeks ago and has left Kadoma residents with questions about safety protocols and the council’s response to the tragedy.
The incident unfolded near Rimuka Stadium, where Kawocho, Julius Simoko, and Cassim Saidi were tasked with working on a main sewer manhole. The three men entered the long-unused service facility while unaware of the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
Tragedy struck when Simoko, suspected to have succumbed to toxic gases that had accumulated in the manhole, found himself unable to escape. Kawocho, displaying remarkable courage and selflessness, immediately rushed to his colleague’s aid.
However, the toxic fumes proved too strong, and Kawocho, too, fell victim to the deadly gases, leaving him trapped in the manhole.
Simoko and Saidi, despite being affected by the toxic emissions, managed to escape the manhole and were rushed to Queen Mary Private Hospital. They have since been discharged.
The news of Kawocho’s death has left his family heartbroken and struggling to come to terms with their loss. Tonderai Gomo, Kawocho’s younger brother and family spokesperson, described the shock and disbelief they are experiencing.
“I received the news and never thought it was him. I quickly thought it is his brother Godknows who may have been struck by tragedy in South Africa where he works. When I confirmed that it was Godfrey, I could not believe it. Up to now, we are finding it hard to believe this in the manner it happened,” Gomo said.
He added, “He wanted to work for his family and have assets to himself. He was talking of having a plot and run projects there.”
Kawocho is survived by his wife, Virginia Kanyepi-Kawocho, and five children.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of council workers, particularly those who work in hazardous environments like sewer systems. Questions are being raised about the lack of adequate safety protocols and the council’s response to the tragedy.
Council officials have been tight-lipped about the incident, with Mayor Nigel Ruzario and Chamber Secretary Willard Mangwengwende failing to provide any comprehensive explanations.
Town Clerk Malvin Dondo was unreachable, and the city health director, who was reportedly on official leave, was seen at Rimuka Cemetery during Kawocho’s burial on August 19.
The official medical post-mortem report on the cause of death was not available at the time of writing.
