32 Bakhuphuka ngomkhumbi al baya endaweni eyinkangala bebodwa am . 33 Amaxuku asebabona besuka, labanengi bamazi, bagijimela khona ndawonye ngenyawo bevela emizini yonke, basebebadlula, bahlangana kuye. “Akusekho ukubuyela kulokho ebesesikujwayele,” kusho isitatimende. “Utshintsho olusemthethwei yilo oludingekayo ukwenza umdlalo uqhubeke ngendlela ezokwamukeleka kusuka phansi kuya phezulu. Abalandeli bazohlezi bekulungele ukuba yingxenye yalezo zinguquko.” ukzn athlete and leader drowns while swimming at midmar dam kerushun pillay a university of kwazulu--natal student drowned in midmar dam on saturday. sizophila mahlobo (24), a keen sportsman who was chairperson of the university’s athletics club, drowned on saturday afternoon when he and some friends swam to retrieve their canoe. he was declared dead on scene. mahlobo, of esikhawini, near empangeni, was pursuing a master of science degree in hydrology at the pietermaritzburg campus, where his research interest was water quality. er24 spokesperson werner vermaak, said paramedics and members of the saps search and rescue worked to recover mahlobo’s body. “bystanders on the scene explained to emergency workers that they swam out to retrieve a canoe [and then] noticed one of their friends were missing.” he said the circumstances surrounding the incident would be investigated by police. friends and colleagues said mahlobo was a long--distance runner for ukzn’s athletics club. he was the club’s treasurer before he was made chairperson this year. andrew stewart, the vice chairperson of the athletics club, said he had heard of the incident on saturday via ukzn’s sports union. he said mahlobo had nominated him last year to be vice chairperson. “i would never have accepted it if not for him. he was by far the best leader i’d seen; i was always impressed by the way he dealt with things. “he was quite a sportsman, and he had a lot of time for people. he was a very organised leader.” blessing zondi, a friend of mahlobo’s of six years, said he was a hard--working person who was always “determined to see the grass grow”. “he was a very cool guy, very talkative and always laughing. he was a bit naughty but he was honest.” a tribute on the athletics club’s official instagram page said: “the country has lost a person that had an opportunity to contribute to one of our scarce skills areas. ironically, it seems phila’s journey and the