Education department mum over poisoned kids’ death
The families of three deceased pupils are still waiting for post mortem results from the Basic education department after their children died from alleged food poisoning at a school in Winterveldt.
The families of the three pupils who died from alleged food poisoning at Ema Primary School are still left with unanswered questions as the Gauteng department of basic education has yet to reveal the post mortem results.
Precious Mahlangu (6), Mbali Mahlangu (8) and Sibongile Mahleya (8) died in September last year after eating food from the school’s feeding scheme in Winterveldt.
According to the Gauteng department of education, the poisoned food had a dough ingredient.
Klaas Mahlangu, uncle to Precious and Mbali, said the family was unsettled as they buried their children without knowing the reason for their death.
“The department has been promising since September to give the results. They eventually said we will get feedback in January but we still haven’t heard anything. Our children are buried now and we still do not know what killed them,” he told Rekord.
Last year, the Gauteng education department said there were indications that the poisoned food might have come from outside the school, as the girls allegedly brought cakes and juice from home.
Rumours circulated in the community that the poisoned food could have been the cookies Sibongile brought to school.
Her grandmother, Lindiwe Mahleya, had told Rekord last year that the cookies could not have been poisoned as the whole family had eaten some.
On Tuesday, Mahleya said she had constantly contacted police for the post mortem findings as she had also heard no word from the education department.
“The police also cannot tell me anything. I really need to know what killed my grandchild as some believe the poisoned food was the cookies I had baked for her,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Democratic Alliance (DA) said it had submitted questions to both the Gauteng education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, and the MEC for community safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malebane, to establish whether an investigation was launched into the death of the pupils.
“The DA calls on MEC Lesufi and his department to divulge the findings of the investigation to the bereaved families and implement necessary action steps to ensure no further loss of lives in future,” said DA Gauteng shadow MEC for education, Khume Ramulifho.
The Gauteng department of basic education said the investigations are complete.
“The investigations into this matter is complete, however, we are still waiting for the lab results to conclude our report,” said spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane.
For free breaking news, visit Rekord’s websites:
Also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
Read: Three pupils die from alleged food poisoning
Families want answers after 3 kids died
