Learner falls into a manhole at her school in Evander
Principal Marietjie Stuart spoke to the Ridge Times about both incidents and highlighted that maintenance and the safety of its learners are of top priority.
A 10-year-old learner was recently injured when she fell into a manhole at her school in Evander.
According to the girl’s mother, she sustained injuries to her neck, foot, leg, knee, thigh and back at Laerskool Hoëveld on Thursday, September 22.
Cuts and grazes to the neck were dangerously close to her main artery. The girl was admitted to Mediclinic Highveld on September 27. Her mother said she presented delayed symptoms and underwent tests and scans.
The child was then transferred to Robinson Hospital in Randfontein on September 29 for conservative treatment treated for soft tissue injuries of the limbs and post-concussion. She was discharged on October 1.
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The woman said her daughter was coming from the sports field when she stepped on the manhole cover and it gave way.
The girl’s school bag and arms which she used as a grip, prevented her from falling completely in and to the bottom of the hole.
Several learners and a teacher who saw the accident rushed to the girl’s aid.
A grade 7 learner wrapped his arms under the girl and pulled her out while another learner moved the cover.
“A teacher told my son to call his grandmother who was waiting in her vehicle at that time. My mother-in-law phoned me with the news,” said the mother.
She is unhappy that the school did not directly inform her of the incident.
“My mother-in-law is not the guardian of my children. She merely fetches my children from school and drops them off,” said the mother.
She is concerned that, before the accident, there was no barrier tape around the manhole or warning signs. She went to the school the following day to see where the accident happened.
The mom claims the concrete around the brick rim of the manhole which frames the cover, was crumbling and a bin was also placed inside the hole.
“This was not a freak accident, it is negligence,” said the mother. She feels the principal made light of the matter.
Ridge Times learnt that before the girl’s incident, another learner was injured in the same manhole on the same day.
Principal Marietjie Stuart spoke to the Ridge Times about both incidents and highlighted that the learners’ safety and maintenance are top priorities at the school.
She explained that through monthly school governing body meetings, feedback is given on all maintenance that needs to be done.
Stuart said anything that poses a risk or danger to learners are cordoned off and learners are barred from going in that area.
“A learner called me after the incident happened. I saw the teacher attending to the learner with a first aid kit.”
She said the learners and teacher reacted swiftly when they saw the girl stumble into the manhole. According to Stuart, she took photos of the manhole while the learner was being attended to.
Stuart showed the photos to Ridge Times.
“All the bricks and concrete were still in place,” said Stuart.
She said the instruction to the girl’s brother to call the grandmother was because they live with the grandmother in the same house.
“I told the grandmother this is what happened, it was an accident and that it would be investigated,” said Stuart.
She said the girl’s left leg was injured and she (Stuart) requested another teacher to carry the girl to the vehicle but was told it was unnecessary.
Stuart explained she had only come to learn of the other learner later that afternoon when she received a text from his mother.
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The text read that the learner fell by the drain and fortunately got away with only a few scratches but that it should be checked out before someone gets badly hurt.
That incident happened during the break before sports began, and girl’s incident just after sport.
“I asked him what happened, he said the lid lifted a bit when he stepped on it. He did not tell anybody or report it when it happened,” said Stuart.
She said it is unfortunate that the previous incident was not immediately reported as this could have prevented the girl’s accident.
According to the principal, the cover was not properly over the manhole, this could be due to many reasons.
However, she did mention that there was a “crack” on the cover frame when inspected. Stuart said the cover will be replaced.
