Release of Enock Mpianzi drowning report postponed after meeting with family

The Gauteng Education Department has postponed the release of the much-anticipated report into the death of Parktown Boys’ High School Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi.

The report, which was compiled by Harris Nupen Molebatsi Attorneys, was meant to be released on Thursday evening. However, two hours before the release time, the department said it had consulted Mpianzi’s family and found that it would be “insensitive to release the report without their blessings”.

“Subsequent to our meeting today, we all agreed that the next session will be held on February, 27 2020,” said Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in a statement.

Lesufi said he had also consulted with Gauteng Premier David Makhura, who agreed that the release of the forensic report be rescheduled until “processes have been concluded”.

It is unclear what the processes were.

“We sincerely apologise to the Mpianzi family, the school community, the media and society for the inconvenience this may have caused.”

Mpianzi, 13, was swept away in the Crocodile River while attending a Grade 8 orientation camp at Nyati Bush and River Break lodge near Brits in North West on January, 15.

He was last seen when a makeshift raft he and other boys were on overturned in the river, just hours after arriving at the camp.

His body was discovered two days later after a search, which started the day after the drowning.

A preliminary report by the Education Department was commissioned and found that the orientation camp was not approved by the district and head offices.

This saw the school’s headmaster, Malcolm Williams, and several officials being suspended with immediate effect.

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