Cape Town – Masonwabe Primary School in Delft is expected to return to normal today after 14 pupils were rushed to hospital last week suffering from headaches and dizziness.
Provincial Education spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the pupils were discharged on Saturday after being treated with symptoms including anxiety, dizziness and a shortness of breath.
On Thursday, a Grade 6 pupil complained of a headache and dizziness before collapsing. Minutes later, pupils in the same class and in other grades experienced the same symptoms.
About five medical vehicles transported pupils to the Delft Community Health Centre and the Symphony Way Community Day Centre.
One pupil said all she remembered was feeling weak and struggling to breathe.
“It was around 10am when one of my classmates seemed like she was getting sick. She started shaking and fell down. When we looked at her, she was mumbling things we didn’t understand and she screamed.
“The teacher was afraid, so she asked others to carry her outside while she went to ask for help. A few minutes later, more pupils in class started doing strange things and others fainted,” said the pupil.
Disgruntled parents rushed to the school, claiming the school did not alert them; they found out what had happened via social media.
“Some jumped the fence while we waited until they opened. The principal didn’t want to tell us what happened.
"What makes us angry is that when they want money for donations, they send text messages, but today they didn’t. Other parents came around 2pm to find their children sitting outside.
"We demand a new principal because this is not the first time this has happened,” a parent said.
Provincial health department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said it was not yet clear what caused the symptoms.