West Rand pupil, 9, burnt in lab accident still suffering

For two years little Onkarabile Thobowa has lived in pain.

For two years, doctors have tried to cure a chemical burn wound the nine year old suffered after playing with a dangerous substance in his school’s unlocked laboratory – an accident no-one is taking responsibility for.

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“We still don’t know what happened. The laboratory was not locked so surely someone should have been held accountable,” his mother, Beauty Thobowa, said.

The then seven-year-old Onkarabile was one of 25 pupils from Phororong Primary School in Khutsong on the West Rand who was injured after they apparently smeared one another with a chemical in October 2022.

Onkarabile was the only pupil who sustained a serious injury after the chemical entered his left ear.

“He already had five surgeries,” his mother said. “The chemical entered his left ear and caused serious damage.”

She also accused the Gauteng education department and the school of not sharing the investigative report with her, adding she was seeking legal advice to hold the education authorities accountable.

Thobowa claimed the Gauteng department of education has not been supportive as they promised to assist the child with counselling, but that did not materialise.

“I need to know why such a dangerous chemical was kept at a primary school,” she added.

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The child’s medical records show that Onkarabile has been seen by specialists in Potchefstroom Hospital on several occasions.

According to witnesses, the pupils were celebrating a colouring day event organised by the school and they ran out of paint.

They went into the unlocked laboratory and mistakenly took a chemical powder and smeared it on one another.

“We heard them crying and we took them to a tap and washed them,” said a source who wished to remain anonymous.

“Some were injured on the face, others were burnt on different parts of their bodies.”

Gauteng department of education spokesperson Steve Mabona did not respond to requests for comment.