Cape Town – A 12-year-old girl has committed suicide after she was apparently bullied at school.
News of the girl who killed herself at home last week shocked classmates and teachers.
A memorial was held at Hyacinth Primary School, Mitchells Plain, this week after the girl was found hanging at her home on February 23.
A teacher at a school in the same community, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Voice the Grade 7 learner was being bullied.
Information surrounding the incident is still sketchy; the Daily Voice has learnt the child is a foreign national.
“We heard a Zimbabwean learner hanged herself due to being bullied at school,” explains the teacher.
“She didn’t respond when her mother called her to come out of her room."
“Her mother went to check and found her hanging.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson, Millicent Merton, confirmed the incident but says no reports of bullying were received.
“We can confirm that the school has reported the tragic death of a Grade 7 learner who apparently committed suicide at home on Thursday, 23 February,” Merton says.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a young life. We extend our deepest sympathies to the learner’s family and friends.
“The school psychologist provided support to learners."
“We can also confirm that the school received no reports of bullying from the learner or the parent.”
In October 2015, Manenberg teen Charné Roberts hanged herself in the toilet of her home after she was bullied.
The teen had opened a case of assault against a fellow pupil after she was left with a blue eye.