The Gauteng Department of Education was struck with another tragedy involving a school trip. This time, two Gauteng learners drowned at a beach during a Durban rugby tour.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced on Monday afternoon that he was disheartened by the news of an incident involving two boys (Grade 10 and Grade 12) from Hoërskool Birchleigh in Kempton Park, who drowned at Durban North Beach on Sunday during a school trip.
The department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department could not release the names of the learners until it visited the school or got permission from both families.
According to the department, and the information at its disposal, the school was in Durban from March 24 to March 31, where learners were participating in a rugby tournament.
Mabona said: “On Sunday morning, the learners and several teachers went swimming at Durban North Beach, where some learners were reportedly assisted to shore by lifeguards after experiencing challenges. Subsequent to a headcount, it was realised that two learners were missing.”
He said the learners were accompanied back to the accommodation while the teachers searched the area.
“The search went on until the evening, with no success, after which the educators opened a missing persons case at Durban Central Police Station. On Monday, March 28, 2022, the educators were informed that the bodies of two boy learners were discovered about 2 kilometres north of the beach from where they went swimming on Sunday,” Mabona said.
The KwaZulu-Natal SAPS confirmed in a statement that police and metro police divers recovered the bodies of two boys, aged 17 and 18, at Laguna Beach and Country Club Beach respectively. It said inquest dockets were opened.
The department confirmed that the learners were from Birchleigh and Tembisa respectively.
Mabona said the department’s Psycho-Social unit had been dispatched to counsel the school community, and that counselling would continue upon return of the learners from Durban.
Lesufi said: “It’s disheartening that a positive sporting school trip that our learners passionately participated in, ended in such a tragic manner. We convey our most heartfelt condolences to the two affected families and the school community at large.”
This was not the first time this month that the department was struck with the tragic death of a learner. A Grade 10 boy learner at Reshogofaditswe Secondary School, Nhlanhla Tshabalala, died on March 8 after an incident which occurred at Tsakane Secondary School. It was alleged that an educator and a general assistant were involved. The department appointed an independent law firm Diale Attorneys to investigate the incident.
A Grade 8 learner at Parktown Boys High, Enock Mpianzi, drowned in January 2019 at the Nyati Bush and Riverbreak lodge near Brits during a botched school orientation camp arranged by the school.
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