The Gauteng Department of Education has expressed sadness regarding a fatal incident whereby two schoolboys from Daveyton Skills School drowned during an excursion in Centurion, Tshwane on Monday 15 April.
In a statement sent to Tshwane Talks, the department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona wrote the following:
“The two learners, aged 13 and 16, were attending a discipline camp held by non-governmental organisation called Rising Stars Generation and were scheduled to go back home to Daveyton on Monday.”
According to Mabona, when the camp’s activities were concluded on Monday afternoon, one of the learners suddenly ran towards a nearby river close to the campsite and jumped in, thus prompting the second learner to also jump in as well in an attempt to rescue him as he was drowning.
“However, both learners ended up drowning,” said Mabona.
He revealed that the Gauteng Education Department’s Psycho-Social Support Unit will be dispatched to the school to provide necessary trauma support and counselling.
“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate deaths of our learners during a school excursion and on behalf of the Department we wish to extend our sincere condolences to their families,” said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane.
“The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department received a call around 15:14 regarding the drowning incident,” said City of Tshwane’s Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso.
“It is alleged that the boys were engaged in a water activity as part of a school excursion,” he said.
Mabaso said the lifeless bodies of the boys were recovered by the South African Police Services divers and the boys were declared dead by paramedics on the scene.
“Circumstances leading to the drowning incident remain a subject of investigation by the SAPS,” explained Mabaso.
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