Ten questions that need answers as Lesufi releases report into Enock Mpianzi’s death
Since the tragedy, there have been a plethora of questions about what led to the drowning and whether the school was negligent.
A view outside the entrance of Parktown Boys’ High School, 21 January 2020, where people have laid flowers to remember Enoch Mpianzi who drowned last week while on a school orientation camp. Picture: Michel Bega
All eyes will be on the Gauteng education department on Friday when it releases its report into the death of 13-year-old Enock Mpianzi, who drowned at a Parktown Boys’ High School Grade 8 orientation camp last week.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi is expected to release the report at 11:00 at the department’s offices in Johannesburg.
Lesufi is also expected to update parents at the school later in the evening on the developments regarding the boy’s death.
Mpianzi was last seen last Wednesday during a water activity on the first day of the camp at Nyati Bush and River Break lodge near Brits in North West. At the time, a makeshift raft he and other boys were on overturned on the Crocodile River.
Since the tragedy, there have been a plethora of questions about what led to the drowning and whether the school was negligent.
Social media was also abuzz as people analysed the timeline of the events, from when those at the camp realised that Mpianzi was missing, to the moment that school authorities reacted.
Here’s a list of 10 questions for Lesufi:
1. Why did the school not do a roll call before the pupils left for the camp on Wednesday morning?
2. Was the school negligent in undertaking the trip at the lodge when, it appears, there were previous drownings there?
3. The lodge has indicated that the school requested a change in activities when the pupils arrived. Why was this?
4. Why were the children swimming without life jackets?
5. Besides eight facilitators from the lodge, were there any teachers who supervised the activity?
6. Why did the school take so long to act and report the case to the police and parents?
7. Why, when some of the children raised the alarm that Mpianzi was missing, were they ignored?
8. Who should be held accountable for the boy’s death?
9. What steps are going to be taken against the school and lodge?
10. Going forward, will the department consider telling schools to scrap these camps, especially at Parktown Boys’ High School?
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