Johannesburg – A 14-year-old North West pupil died after allegedly eating food provided by the school’s feeding scheme.
Tshegofatso Johannes, a Grade 8 learner from Thuto-Lore Secondary School in Bloemhof, died on Monday.
Her death has compelled the North West Department of Basic Education to launch an investigation to determine if it was related to the food that she and other pupils consumed.
Departmental spokesperson Freddy Sepeng said a task team had been set up to carry out this duty.
According to the Progressive Students Movement (PSM), six other learners were also hospitalised.
Kabelo Nthekiso, the movement’s general secretary, said Tshegofatso and six other pupils had a meal from the school’s feeding scheme, and two periods after the break, they experienced abdominal cramps.
“Tshegofatso passed away while six other learners were rushed to hospital."
"It is suspected that the food contained a chemical of sorts that made them sick."
"We have consulted with the Department of Basic Education and the school about the incident and we will be laying charges against both entities.”
Meanwhile, Sepeng told The Star that the department would be conducting its own investigation along with the police.
“At this stage we are not sure what led to the death of the learner and the hospitalisation of the other learners.”
Sepeng said officials from the department had met with Tshegofatso’s family, who said they did not suspect that her death was related to the food she had eaten at school.
“We will await the post-mortem results to determine if indeed the death was a result of the what the kids ate. The family also told us that their child had a history of epilepsy, and it could be related to that."
"What is also a bit suspicious is that the learner was sharing her meal with another learner, who did not suffer any side- effects.”
He further disputed that six other learners were rushed to hospital, saying Tshegofatso was the only one affected.
“The only learner that was affected was the one who passed on. No other learner was sick as a result. But as we said, we will await the post-mortem results.”