UPDATE: February 4, 2010, @13:12
During the memorial service Principal, Ashley Harris spoke profoundly about the late teachers; Mr. Sibiya, Mr. Zwane, and Ms. Madlala.
Harris noted first that in his experience as an educator he has never heard of any school with a similar situation where three educators passed away simultaneously.
“I cannot also recall where we had two teachers from the same school that passed away.”
Harris spoke firstly about Ms. Madlala, he described Ms. Madlala as a beautiful lady.
“She was a lady in every aspect, she was beautiful not only outside but inside as well.
Harris further adds that Ms. Madlala was reserved and quiet.
“She will come in at the office, sign the register, greet me and off she goes.
“There are certain teachers who are quiet, they come and go to their classes and you will only see them by the end of the school day and that was our beautiful Ms. Madlala.”
Harris also remembers Madlala as a committed and hardworking teacher.
“I used to see her sitting in the classroom marking, definitely committed and hardworking.”
According to Principal Harris, the late Ms. Madlala loved sports.
“I usually visited the Life-Orientation period and you will find her playing soccer with the boys and netball with the girls.”
Principal Harris asserts that the other teacher Mr. Zwane was the opposite of Ms. Madlala, lightheartedly Principal Harris said that Mr. Zwane was competing with him.
“He was a gentleman, a beautiful person. The day he bought his car he sent me a picture and asked what do I think about his car.
“I looked and said Menner that is a big machine.”
Mr. Zwane according to Principal Harris was a soccer player who loved sports. He was a Maths Literacy teacher who had started teaching Creative Arts.
“He came to me one day and said, Sir. I do not know anything about creative arts and I told him that I believe in him.”
Principal Harris said that he can write a book about Mr. Sibiya, a book that will make him a millionaire.
“Mr. Sibiya was an Accounting teacher and also the HOD for Accounting. He was a special person in my life maybe one thing for the mere fact that we taught the same subjects.
“I’ve known him for more than 10 years. He was dedicated and committed,” said Harris.
Principal Harris recalled the Saturday school they created together with Mr. Sibiya and other educators. He remembers when he and the other teachers will arrive for the classes by 8 am and there will be no sign of Mr. Sibiya at the school and the learners will be waiting for him.
“I will phone the gentleman and he will tell me that he is around the corner.
“When he arrives he will be busy with his learners and he will finish late with his learners.”
Just like the other two teachers Mr. Sibiya also loved sports and was a brilliant soccer player.
“His passion was teaching but I am sure that if he had to go into soccer he would have played for Pirates or Chiefs”
In conclusion, Mr. Harris thanked the family of the teachers for borrowing them their children.
“They became our family, I know that they are from far in KwaZulu Natal and it was a purpose for them by God to find themselves at Riverlea Secondary School.
“I enjoyed working with them and I had a great relationship with them.
“Deep in my heart, deep in my soul, deep in my being they are not forgotten,” said Harris.
UPDATE: February 04, 2020, @10:55
Riverlea High School is having the memorial service for the three teachers which they lost last week.
The memorial service is being held at the Riverlea Empowerment Centre.
More to follow.
UPDATE: Jan 31, 2020, @09:30
The Department of Education remembers the late Mpumi Madlala from Orlando East who was amongst the three teachers who lost their lives in an accident.
The principal of Reverlea High school Ashley Harris spoke highly about her daughter as she used to call her his baby. He stated that they have lost a sportsperson.
“Mpumi used to play with the children soccer and netball, indeed she was a very active person,” said Harris.
Department of Johannesburg West District Denis Macaucau said they were still looking forward to working with her but nature happened and she is no more.
He added that their passing comes at a time where they are already experiencing a difficult time as a department and in need of young active teachers.
Macaucau expressed his condolences to the family on behalf of the district and the department.
UPDATE: Jan 29, 2020, @14:15
Chief Director of Education Macuacua confirmed that the three teachers were involved in an accident this past Sunday
Macuacua explained that the principal noticed on Monday that three of the school educators did not report on duty.
“On the very same Monday the department was conducting a site visit to the school and there was information that was required about the school and the person who had the information was one of the educators.
“The principal called to find out where is the information but the call went to voicemail, the principal tried the other teachers who were absent but still it was not successful.
Macuacua adds that the principal fetched one of the teachers who is friends with the deceased to go to Orange Farm and gather more information about the whereabouts of the teachers.
“On arrival in Orange Farm they checked with the neighbours and the landlord, but they all indicated that one of the deceased educators was only last seen on Friday.
“The principal went to the police station in Orange Farm just to check whether is any report that was registered with the police.”
Macuacua state that the educator that was last seen with the other three went to the Evaton police station to report the matter of the missing teachers.
“On Wednesday the Principal received news that indeed it is alleged that there was an accident involved, a car with a similar description of the one that was owned by one of the educators.
The Principal contacted the family members to go and identify the educators.
“Indeed one of the people identified at the mortuary was one of the educators from the school.”
Macuacua confirmed that two of the educators have not yet been identified by the family members
UPDATE: January 29, 2020, @14:15
Sandiso Kwinina and educator at Riverlea High School confirm that the teachers who lost their lives were last seen on Saturday after a parent’s meeting.
“On Saturday morning there was a parent meeting at the school and after the meeting, the teachers went together to Orange Farm.
“In the early morning on Sunday the teachers decided to go to Evaton where they were allegedly involved in a head-on collision with a Red Polo,” he said.
Kwinina said that he tried to contact the teachers to find out about their whereabouts by calling them and asking some of their family members.
Furthermore, he says that they started having suspicions on Tuesday when they did not report on duty that something is wrong.
According to Kwinina it was yesterday when one of the family members was called by the Police in Evaton upon opening a case to come and identify a body.
According to Kwinana teachers as well as the learners were informed today about the death of the teachers.
January 29, 2020, @14:14
Riverlea High School learners were sent home early today following the death of three teachers from the school who were involved in a car accident.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said that the department received the news and they are on their way to the School to get more details about this tragic incident that occurred.
“We have already sent out our Psycho-Social unit team to be at the school to support the learners and educators”
Mabona notes that local pastors are at the school and states that it is sad for the Department to lose three teachers all at once.
“We should be in the position to share more details at the later stage,” he concluded.
Our Westside reporter Janice Beckett-Msiza is at the scene and she will update us when new information emerges.
BREAKING: A tragedy has struck Riverlea high school. They lost three of their teachers in a car accident.
MEC @Lesufi is on his way to the school more details will be shared later.
— Steve Mabona (@Steve_Mabona) January 29, 2020
Tragedy has hit the #Riverlea High School in Johannesburg. The Department of Education has revealed that 3 teachers from the school have been killed in a car accident.
— Katlego Legodi (@KatlegoLegodi_) January 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/EducationGP/status/1222477126890409984?s=20
Follow Us Here:
Catch the latest news by visiting our other platforms:
