Learners at MC Weiler Primary School in Alexandra stumbled upon a gruesome discovery of a body under one of the school’s containers that are used as classrooms.

The learners were playing soccer when the ball went under the container. One of them went to fetch the ball and discovered the body that was wrapped in a blanket on June 2.

It is not known how long the body had been lying there and its state of decomposition but Alex police said an inquest docket would be opened to determine the cause of death and possibly identify the victim.

The MEC of the Gauteng Department of Education Panyaza Lesufi confirmed the incident.

Lesufi said the unsettling discovery was made during the school break period between 11:00 and 11:30 and the learners had immediately informed their teachers.

School management contacted the police and told all the learners to go home at 13:00 to allow the police to investigate and also to spare the children further trauma, Lesufi added.

The department had dispatched its psycho-social unit to the school to provide counselling and trauma support for all the learners and staff.

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