Two pupils drown in school excursion mishap (VIDEO)

Two boy pupils from Daveyton Skills School in Benoni died on Monday after drowning during a school excursion at the Hennops River in Centurion.

Gauteng department of education (GDE) spokesperson Steve Mabona said that according to information at the department’s disposal the pupils aged 13 and 16 were attending a discipline camp held by the non-governmental organisation Rising Stars Generation in Pretoria on Friday and were scheduled to return on Monday.

One jumped into river and the other followed

“It is alleged that, after activities had been concluded on Monday afternoon, one of the learners suddenly ran towards a nearby river close to the campsite entrance. A second learner followed in an attempt to bring him back,” Mabona said.

It is alleged that after the first pupil ran off and jumped into the river, the second pupil tried to save him. However, both boys tragically drowned as a result.

The department confirmed that the incident was reported to the Tshwane Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and police. The police managed to recover their bodies.

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“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate deaths of our learners during a school excursion. On behalf of the Department, we wish to extend our sincerest condolences to their respective families and the Daveyton Skills School community,” said MEC Matome Chiloane.

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

Latoya Temilton

This latest incident of Gauteng learners drowning comes a few months after Grade 7 Queenswood Primary School pupil Latoya Temilton drowned at a school leadership camp on 20 January.

Earlier this month, Chiloane shared the results of a report by an independent investigative law firm that was appointed to probe the circumstances leading to Temilton’s death.

Watch Latoya’s heartbroken sister speak about her:

Meshack Nchupetsang of Nchupetsang Attorneys said the teachers present on the day of Temilton’s excursion were extremely negligent.

Furthermore, the independent law investigators found the camp and its staff partially negligent for failing to clearly mark shallow and deep pool areas and for not responding promptly to potential incidents.

ALSO READ: GDE and Queenswood teachers to face negligence charges over Latoya Temilton’s death

Additional reporting by Enkosi Selane