SIYABONGA SITHOLE
AUTHORITIES are probing a matter involving a 16-year-old learner who committed suicide after allegedly being called “sissy boy” by a student teacher.
The incident happened in a Tswana class at PJ Simelane Secondary School last week.
The Grade 9 learner, Tiro Moalusi, allegedly committed suicide as a result of homophobic comments at the hands of the teacher.
Moalusi’s aunt, Masingita Khosa, said last Tuesday was Tiro’s last after he left home for school at PJ Simelane Secondary School.
Towards the end of the day Tiro's life changed after an encounter with the Tswana student teacher who allegedly called him “sisi bhuti (sissy boy)” in front of other students. Khosa said this unfortunate comment led her nephew to his death.
“We as a family know that Tiro was gay. He was our gay and we had long accepted and loved him the way he was. But to be shamed by a teacher became too much for him,” Khosa said.
Khosa says after returning home upset over the incident, Tiro decided to end his life by ingesting rat poison. And when he thought this method was not working, he subsequently tried to hang himself. But he was rescued by members of the family who had no clue that he had ingested poison before he attempted to hang himself.
“After throwing up and vomiting we realised that there was more to this and he was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
“His death still shocks us to this day as we try to make sense of what happened to him," Khosa told this newspaper. Tiro’s mother, Simangele Moalusi, cried uncontrollably in the arms of her partner, Papi Maleke.
Chairperson of the school governing body, Peter Tlokwane, spoke out against homophobia and body-shaming which he said was an unwelcome common factor among learners.
“We must remember and celebrate Tiro and his contribution to society. He was full of love and loved people.
“Tiro had friends and a family that he loved and loved him. He was part of this community and a member of this school but when we laughed at him, we hurt him and so this tendency of calling other people names must come to an end,” Tlokwane said.
Tiro’s father, Papi Maleke, said the family will be taking further steps to ensure that the student teacher is held accountable for her homophobic comments against his son.
"We are still dealing with the funeral arrangements and once these are done, we will be taking up the matter with the department,“ he said.
Tiro will be laid to rest with a funeral service set for his Tshepisong home in Dobsonville tomorrow (Thursday).