Lesufi postpones release of forensic report into Enock Mpianzi’s death

Just days after receiving the forensic report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Enock Mpianzi and promising to make the report public after sharing it with the family and other affected parties first, Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has postponed its release.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, his office has not yet received the family’s blessing to make the report public.

“Indeed, after a consultation with the Mpianzi family, we find it to 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 27 February 2020,” said Lesufi.

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“It is on the basis of the above that we have taken a decision, after the consultation with the Gauteng Premier Mr David Makhura, to reschedule the release of the forensic report until these processes have been concluded,” he added before apologising 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 the North West on January 15.

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

The teen’s death grabbed the nation’s attention when the school’s and the department’s safety measures were questioned.

After a preliminary report was released shortly after the incident, the school’s headmaster and district officials were suspended with immediate effect.

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(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)

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