Outrage erupted at the Daspoort Secondary School on Monday after Grade 12 learner Mpho Entle Mabena committed suicide, amid serious allegations that he had been bullied by a teacher.

Mpho hung himself in his bedroom, where his family found him before school on Friday morning.

Spokesperson for Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile, Onwabile Lubhelwana, confirmed Mpho’s death on Tuesday, saying they are busy investigating the matter.

In an emotional video interview with Kasi Lifestyle Updates, Mpho’s mother, Morongwa Mabena, said her son was a matric learner at Daspoort Secondary School and was known as a humble, respectful child.

“Mpho was the most humble, respectful child. Even though we as parents are not with our children all the time when they are away from us, I do not believe he had a disrespectful side,” she said.

Mabena said that on Monday, April 13, Mpho contacted his sister and told her that a teacher had allegedly assaulted him after he tried to correct the teacher.

Mpho’s sister, Basetsana Mathaba, said he had pointed out the spelling mistake to the teacher during class.

Basetsana alleged that the teacher then placed Mpho’s belongings on the table, charged at him and assaulted him before ordering him out of the classroom.

She said Mpho then went to the school office to report the matter, but was allegedly told that the principal was busy and that he should return to class.

According to her, he returned as instructed, but was later called back and told that the principal wanted to see him. She alleged that the teacher then accompanied him to the office.

Basetsana claimed that during the meeting, the teacher told the principal that Mpho had been using a cellphone in class, which led to the confrontation.

She further alleged that the principal did not fully investigate Mphoentle’s version of events and instead questioned why he had corrected the teacher.

According to Basetsana, the principal allegedly instructed Mphoentle to hand over his phone or face suspension.

She said he refused, returned to school the following day, and later told the family that the teacher was no longer marking his work.

She said Mpho continued attending school for the next two days and, when asked on Thursday whether the teacher was still mistreating him, he allegedly said yes.

“On Friday, as we were preparing for the day, I was alerted by my mother’s screams, only to find that Mphoentle had hung himself.”

He did not leave a note.

In the video, Mpho’s distraught mother said she did not immediately go to the school after the incident because she expected the school to contact the family if there had been a serious disciplinary issue.

“I never went to the school as I thought they would send a WhatsApp message or some form of communication to call us in over the matter involving Enhle,” she said.

However, she said the family received no communication from the school.

Meanwhile, a Change.org petition was started by one of Mpho’s friends on Friday. It had garnered more than 4,000 signatures by Tuesday, with supporters calling for accountability and action in response to the bullying allegations.

The petition describes Mpho as a “young, calm, funny boy” in his final year at Daspoort Secondary School, determined to change his situation at home. It says he had “visions, goals and dreams” for his life.

The petition alleges that Mpho was repeatedly bullied by a teacher in class and that he went to the principal crying after being bullied “every day”. It further claims that the school failed its learners and calls for justice for Mpho Mabena’s family.

“He took away his life because of the way a teacher was treating him in class. Mpho went to the principal crying after being bullied by a teacher every day.”

Fellow learners have taken to social media in the wake of Mpho’s death, with hashtags such as #JusticeForMabena trending.

By the time of publication, the Gauteng Department of Education had not yet issued an official statement.

Rekord attempted to obtain a comment from the school principal, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

Videos circulating on social media show that classes were disrupted as learners, friends and family protested outside the school on Monday.

Footage also appears to show learners breaking a palisade gate at the school and carrying it down the street during the protest.

Watch the video here:

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