A young South African man by the name Ronald Rikhotso has drowned during his church baptism in the Groot Letaba River located in Nwamarhanga village, Limpopo.
The 27-year-old man reportedly slipped into the water right after the baptism and drowned.
The incident occurred on March 18, 2023, Sunday, where a statement by Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the spokesperson for the Limpopo police, confirmed the incident.
“The police in Giyani have opened a case of inquest after a baptism took a tragic turn when a 27-year-old male congregant slipped into the water and drowned soon after baptism in Groot Letaba River in Nwamarhanga village on March 18, 2023.”
“According to the information, the church congregants led by their priest, had been performing religious rituals and after they concluded the session, one of the congregants went back to the river to collect water. The 27-year-old man, identified as Ronald Rikhotso, reportedly slipped and drowned,” he said.
Colonel Ledwaba stated in a statement that the police were notified of the incident, and that divers from the SAPS Provincial Search and Rescue Team recovered the victim’s body from the river.