Allegations of abuse, including beatings, emerge from doomed excursion where two Gauteng learners drowned
|Published
Serious allegations of learner abuse, including beatings, have emerged from the excursion where two Benoni learners from Daveyton Skills School drowned in the Hennops River near Centurion on Monday.
Speaking to journalists after visiting the families of Siphamandla Peterson, 15, and 17-year-old Sibusiso Sibiya — who died during the unsanctioned discipline camp held by non-governmental organisation Rising Stars Generation — Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said an independent law firm has been appointed to probe the disturbing allegations.
“The families have brought it to our attention that the kids were abused there. They were assaulted there as part of the exercise. They say it was a discipline camp, that is how they reflect it. Any form of abuse they have raised with us … that the kids were assaulted etc. Those are the answers the law firm will bring to us,” said Chiloane.
“On the other areas where we need to go and report to the police, to other sectors like community safety to deal with the investigation, we are going to do that. These are some of the information coming up slowly, in bits and pieces. This is quite unfortunate. Ideally, I should have gotten it first hand from the principal.”
The event was hosted at the Rock Falls Adventure Ranch in Centurion, Tshwane.
On Wednesday, IOL reported that Chiloane was visiting the school where he expressed disappointment over yet another drowning during a school excursion.
“We have put in place a very clear process that guides trips, that guides these excursions, especially of taking learners where there is water. We have put (guides) and every school is aware. If schools do not follow, it then puts us in a position where we then have to come in. The sad part is that we come in because kids have drowned,” the MEC told journalists at the school.
“We have been clear, and I think all schools, not only in Gauteng, but across the country can see what is happening with trips that are unsanctioned, trips where there is water, trips where there is not enough educators on site and the vigilance of the educators,” he said.
“If things continue to happen this way, we will continue to act against those who have not done their work until educators understand that it is people’s children that they are taking there (on excursions).”
He said “no one at the higher office” knew about this school’s trip.
According to Chiloane, even the district office was not aware that the learners from the school, which caters for children with special needs, were going on an excursion.
“Really, the fact that we did not sanction (the trip) puts me in a difficult position. I didn’t even know that the kids were being taken on a trip, no one knew at the higher office – the district office, the circuit office.”
On Tuesday, IOL reported that the preliminary report indicated that after activities were concluded during the excursion, one of the learners suddenly ran towards the river close to the camp entrance and the other learner followed in an attempt to bring him back.
“It is further alleged that the learner who ran off jumped into the river, prompting the second learner to try to rescue him. However, both learners unfortunately drowned as a result,” said Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona.
In January, in a similar incident, Latoya Temilton, a Grade 7 learner from Laerskool Queenswood, drowned while on a leadership camp at the Wag ‘n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen.
A law firm probing her death has advised her parents to charge the school principal and teachers for failing to care for the learner while in their care.
Investigations revealed that the pool at the camp site was unsuitable for children and there were no teachers or lifeguards on duty, despite indications that Latoya could not swim.
IOL