The mother was walking in an open field with her baby on her back on Saturday (21/12) when a bolt of lightning struck the 39-year-old, said Free State EMS manager Sidney Dywili. She was declared dead on the scene.

Family members rushed the baby to Embekweni hospital in Zastron. After thorough medical assessment, she was admitted for further tests, and remains in a stable condition.

“This incident serves as a somber reminder of the dangers associated with severe weather conditions,” he said.

Earlier this year, two learners walking home from school in Theunissen were struck. One of them died, while the other was injured. Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae called for urgent public education on precautions during severe weather.

Two weeks ago, a toddler, Mpho Pienaar (3), was rescued after being trapped in an unused borehole for hours outside Bloemfontein. Pienaar went missing on Friday (13/12) around 13:00. His distressed parents found him hours late in a borehole 8 m deep with a diameter at the opening of just 200mm.

Emergency services were alerted around 22:00, and a coordinated rescue operation began. Despite structural challenges, rescuers successfully extricated Pienaar after hours of trenching.

OFM News/ Kekeletso Mosebetsi mc