The Gauteng Education Department has appointed an independent law firm to investigate the death of a 10-year-old pupil who was killed when a soccer goalpost fell on him at a Tembisa school.
Milton Neo Mokgoatsane, a Grade 5 learner at Reagile Primary School in Winnie Mandela, Tembisa, died on 16 February after the goalpost collapsed on him during break time.
The incident occurred during the second break on a Monday when Mokgoatsane and other learners were playing near the soccer posts. Paramedics were called immediately and arrived within approximately 20 minutes, but despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was declared dead at the scene.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane on Wednesday introduced the appointed law firm, KRM Inc, to the Mokgoatsane family and school authorities.
The MEC met with the family before proceeding to Reagile Primary School, where he introduced the law firm to the school management team and the school governing body.
The investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding the death, including interviews with the district director, circuit manager, cluster leader, the principal, educators, the deceased’s parents, learners and other relevant witnesses.
The probe will determine whether there were contraventions of education laws, the South African Schools Act, the Employment of Educators Act, the Children’s Act and other relevant legislation. It will also examine the conduct of educators and school management, whether the incident was properly reported, adherence to legal obligations regarding learner care, and potential liability or omissions by the department.
The scope includes examining the role of the school governing body and whether counselling was provided.
Chiloane said the department was determined to uncover what happened and that this commitment was shared by the Mokgoatsane family.
“We trust fully in the capacity of the independent law firm to execute a rigorous and unbiased investigation. As demonstrated in our past interventions, the department will not hesitate to take decisive action based on the outcomes of this report,” he said.
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