Twin Tragedy: Family Hits Back at Ritual Rumours After Brothers Drown at Brits Dam

• Twin brothers Mpho and Mphonyana Lekeka, both drowned at Brits Dam in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni
• The family has spoken out after social media rumours suggested the twins may have drowned during rituals, calling the claims deeply hurtful
• Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza visited the grieving family on Sunday as police continue investigating the circumstances

EKURHULENI — Twin brothers drowned at Brits Dam in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, last week, leaving their family and community in mourning as false rumours about the circumstances of their deaths began circulating on social media.

According to the Daily Sun, Mpho and Mphonyana Lekeka, both aged 40, lost their lives on Thursday, 27 August 2026. The twins were accompanied by two friends at the time, both of whom survived the incident and alerted community members and police afterwards.

Family pushes back against ritual rumours

In the days following the tragedy, speculation spread across social media suggesting the brothers may have drowned during ritual practices. Their family has firmly rejected those claims, describing them as hurtful and false.

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Cousin Thabo Lekake said the rumours had compounded the family's anguish at an already devastating time.

"They were Christians, and people need to stop spreading these rumours because they are affecting their children," the family said.

Relatives described the twins as well-known local entertainers who had visited Brits Dam regularly, where they would socialise and spend leisure time with others.

"As for what happened that day, we don't exactly know, but we will leave the matter in the hands of the police," Lekeka said.

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Mayor visits grieving family

Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza visited the Lekeka family on Sunday, 30 August, to offer his condolences in person. His visit came as the community continued to come to terms with the loss of two men who were regarded as a fixture in the local entertainment scene.

Police confirmed that investigations into the drowning are ongoing. No further details about the cause of death have been released.

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The family has issued a direct appeal to the public to allow them space to grieve, urging people to refrain from sharing unverified claims that risk causing further distress, particularly to the twins' children.

Twin killed after falling fro three storey building

Previously, Briefly News reported on a similar incident where a set of twins were killed after falling from a three-storey-high balcony at a complex at Shaka's Rock on the North Coast in KwaZulu-Natal. A woman was also critically injured during the fall and was transported to a local hospital under the care of IPSS medical advanced life support. The tragic incident left citizens horrified, with many sending their condolences and others praying for the woman’s recovery.

Source: Briefly News