Mother of murdered learner still waiting for closure
As a parent, you have to protect your children to the best of your ability. Unfortunately there comes a time you have to let go and trust others to look after them - when they are at school.
MBOMBELA – This trust was broken for Nthoto Seanne, mother of Paballo. Her daugher died in August 2014 at Cefups Academy after she had been beaten.
Lowvelder confirmed that the murder case had been struck off the roll, but was reinstituted on July 26.
READ MORE HERE: Two appear in court for murder of Cefups Academy learner
Nthoto spoke to the newspaper.”I first got a call from someone at the school saying my daughter had flu and they needed her medical aid number. I asked them why do they not just look at the file, all our details were there. I found this strange so I phoned back as I wanted to talk to my daughter. I was told the principal Simon Mkhatshwa would phone me.”
Another day went by and nobody contacted the mother.
“She was already dead and they did not tell me. Finally, he phoned me to tell me she had died. All he said was your daughter has died. He did not even ask me if I was sitting or if someone was with me. He coldly told me she was dead,” said Nthoto.
READ MORE HERE: Eyewitnesses tell of fateful day
Her daughter was taken the day before to Mediclinic Nelspruit where she had passed away.
“I spoke to the emergency doctor who had treated my daughter. He said she died from ‘crush syndrome’. ‘Crush syndrome’ affects people normally who have been crushed in a building collapse or during earthquakes.
“Then the school told us she drank Savlon. How could that ever kill anyone? You put it on open wounds. The pathologist told us there was no erosion in her throat and all her organs were intact.
READ MORE HERE: No more cases of corporal punishment reported at Cefups Academy
“So many people at that time told me they would help us stop this school from hurting children. There was such an outcry from everyone and then nothing happened since then. What I would like is all ex-pupils or current pupils that have ever experienced corporal punishment at the school to join hands with us so we can get to the bottom of this and assist us to obtain justice for Paballo,” said Nthoto.
Lowvelder asked Cefups Academy’s for comment regarding this. The school responded that it could not comment as “the matter was still pending”.
