Four children have been reported to have died at Gauteng schools, another rushed to urgent care.
Three siblings died at Evaton primary school in Sebokeng died after falling ill on Monday. In a separate incident on the same day, a high school pupil died after allegedly ingesting rat poison at a school in Ekurhuleni.
Both incidents are under investigation.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said the children had fallen ill on Monday, shortly before they died.
At around 08:00, a Grade 4 class teacher is reported to have brought a sick boy to the school’s sick bay.
“Despite immediate assistance, the pupil was unresponsive. Emergency services and the pupil’s mother were swiftly called. In a distressing turn of events, the pupil’s sibling, a Grade 3 girl pupil, was also brought to the sick bay and mentioned that they had eaten pap, milk and biscuits at home. The pupil soon became unresponsive as well,” said Chiloane.
A third sibling, a girl in Grade 5, was also found unresponsive. All three pupils were rushed to a nearby clinic, where they were declared dead.
Chiloane said:
“The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident. In a separate incident, a Grade 8 pupil from Tsakane Secondary School in Ekurhuleni also died on Monday.”
“Reports indicate that the incident took place during school hours, when two Grade 8 girl pupils allegedly ingested rat poison on the school premises. One of the pupils collapsed and had to be carried to the school’s administration block, while the other, though visibly weak, managed to walk there,” said Chiloane.
Emergency services and the pupils’ parents were immediately contacted. One of the pupils was declared dead on the school premises, while the other was rushed to a local medical facility for urgent care.
The police are investigating the incident, Chiloane said.
He encouraged pupils who are struggling with mental health or feeling overwhelmed to seek help from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group via its 24-hour helpline on 0800 68 78 88.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of these young lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and school communities affected by these devastating incidents. Our psychosocial support team will be dispatched to provide necessary support to everyone involved during this difficult time,” Chiloane said
