Cape Town - THE father of 15-year-old Tamar Snyman, who took her own life at Scottsville Secondary School last week, has described his daughter as a top achiever at anything she set her mind to.
A burial service will be held for Tamar at the Reformed Old Apostolic Church in Kraaifontein today.
The grade 10 pupil was understood to have taken her life in her school’s sick bay last Tuesday. A week later, 18-year-old Memie Nanatakyi from Rhenish Girls High School also took her life at the school premises.
Arnold Snyman described his daughter as an ambitious person and one of the top achievers at school and in everything she participated in.
“As a family we are heartbroken and sore about everything that happened but we have accepted the situation and there is nothing we can do about it anymore. We are trying to fit things into place.
“As parents we think we know our kids but in actual fact we don't know them. There is social media out there that is confining them, your child is at school the whole day and during the night they are on the phone so you don’t get the time to get to know and talk to them.
“As parents we must get to know our kids so that we are able to protect them. I wouldn’t want this to happen to another parent.
“With her smile and kindness she touched many people’s lives and did her best. I can write a book about her with just the short life she lived,” said Snyman.
Their loss was especially compounded by the fact that the family would be celebrating Tamar’s birthday on July 25, he added.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said, before the two recent cases, since 2018, there have been no reports of learners taking their life at school.
The WCED had reported 13 learner suicides in 2018, 11 learner suicides in 2019 and 17 learner suicides in 2020.
Education activist and Deputy Chairperson of the Foundation for Education and Social Justice (FESJA) Hendrick Makaneta said the country has lost many learners to date, and can no longer afford to let the issue of teen suicide slide.
“Government should find a way to equip schools with relevant people who will be able to identify learners with suicidal thoughts and work around the clock to resolve issues before it is too late,” said Makaneta.
School communities can report cases where learners are manifesting symptoms of depression and may even be at-risk of a possible suicide attempt via the WCED Safe Schools Call-centre on 0800 45 46 47.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group offers a 24HR Helpline on 0800 12 13 14 as well as a Suicide Emergency Number via: 0800 567 567.
Cape Times