Investigation opened after Soshanguve pupil dies while eating lunch during break

A young pupil from Itumeleng Madiba Primary School in Soshanguve, Pretoria died while on a lunch break at school last week. 

The Grade 3 pupil reportedly collapsed while eating food from his lunchbox last Friday, prompting Soshanguve police to open an inquest docket, Pretoria Rekord reports. 

Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the food he was eating was from home, and not from the school’s nutrition programme. 

“According to information at our disposal, the incident occurred on Friday (14 January) during break, while learners were eating their lunch in class monitored by the teacher.”

Mabona said the pupil was immediately attended to and taken to the sickbay while parents, an ambulance, and police were called to the scene.

But by the time the pupil’s parent and ambulance arrived, he had already died. 

The department had reportedly not yet received a formal report from the school regarding the incident, which Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said was a serious breach of protocol. 

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Mabona said police arrived at the scene at took statements, as well as the lunchbox the pupil had been eating from, which still had leftover food in it, “for necessary examination”. 

The department’s psycho-social unit was also dispatched to the school to provide the necessary counselling and trauma support. 

“We sincerely send our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones for their great loss.”

Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela told Pretoria Rekord no arrests had been made yet, but investigations were underway. 

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Edited by Nica Richards.

This article first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord’s website, by Lunga Mzangwe. Read the original article here.