Johannesburg - Esethu Tilayi and Michael Komape might not have known each other but their deaths symbolise the poor conditions in many public schools across the country.
What the two children have in common is that they died as a result of poor infrastructure at their schools.
Michael, 6, fell into a pit toilet at Mahlodumela Primary School in Chebeng village outside Polokwane, Limpopo, just a week after he started school. It seemed that the rusty, corroded iron sheet that served as the seat gave way.
The seat and its plastic lid fell in with him, and he drowned.
The decayed ablution facility was surrounded by unkempt grass and all around it were other equally dangerous latrines. To get to the toilets where Michael died, pupils had to walk past nine other uncovered toilet holes.
The only toilet structure on the premises in a decent state was reserved for teachers. It had four cubicles.
Esethu died when a wall collapsed on her during a storm. The 16-year-old and some of her friends ran from their classroom at Langelihle Junior Secondary School in Qumbu, Eastern Cape, into a hall that was still being constructed. As they sheltered there, the wall collapsed.
Two other pupils received minor injuries and one suffered a fractured pelvis.
But two years after the tragedy, no one has yet been held accountable for Esethu's death, and the hall that was being constructed still stands half-built.
The school is made of three blocks of classrooms. The roof does not have gutters. These were removed when contractors came to renovate the school just before Esethu died.
The department had contracted Coega Development Corporation (CDC) to build the facility.
Simlindele Manqina from Coega said only the Eastern Cape education department could comment on the issue.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima has confirmed the family is pursuing a civil case: "The department, implementing agent and district are handling the matter with the hope that all concerned parties and their concerns are addressed."
Mtima said he could not comment further because this was a legal matter.
In a press statement earlier this year, CDC said it had been helping the Eastern Cape Education Department to upgrade and build schools since 2008.
Since then, R1 billion in infrastructure facilities at 71 schools has been "managed".
The statement says CDC assists the department with "emergency repairs, the replacement of mud structures, new early childhood facilities and new schools".
Esethu's uncle Mncedisi Tilayi said: "The department and the contractors have not been saying anything. It has been a very long two years for us as a family."
He said the family was hoping to sue the department for R2 million.
The Star