The Hoërskool Garsfontein Grade 10 learner whose lifeless body was yesterday morning discovered on the school’s rugby field by staff, did not die due to natural causes.

This was revealed by Gauteng MEC of Education Matome Chiloane yesterday afternoon during his visit to the school.

“The police are investigating the details around the learner’s death,” says Chiloane. “What we know now is that the cause of death is unnatural.”

Read previous article: Body of Pretoria high school learner found on rugby field

He told the media, who were gathered next to where the body of the girl was found, that police and the school were still trying to establish how the learner gained entry to the school’s premises.

“I don’t want to go too heavily into the case because I don’t want to jeopardise the police investigations.

“As a department, we will assist the family, provide them with the necessary support, and also get learners learning again.”

Chiloane’s utterances were consistent with those of the learner’s grandfather, who earlier told Pretoria Rekord that the learner left the house around midnight.

The MEC says it is vital that the school know and understand its learners.

“We need to have an understanding of every learner, and this will help us know what each learner’s needs are and how we can be able to help them,” he adds.

Chiloane also alluded that the department will, in the future, implement a bullying box at various schools in order to help curb the rate of bullying in schools.

He says the aim was not to punish learners but rather to try to understand them so that the department could come up with ways to help deal with their issues.