By Umamah Bakharia

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has announced that an independent investigative law firm will investigate the death of a Grade 10 learner at the Tsakane Secondary School in Brakpan.

It is alleged that the 16-year old, who was a learner at the Reshogofaditswe Secondary School, was allegedly assaulted by a teacher and general assistant and later died.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Gauteng Education Departments’ spokesperson, Steve Mabona says they were shocked by the discovery of a student’s death.

However, Mabona says they can not comment on the exact details of the pupil’s death as the department still needs to interview various people to determine the exact cause of the child’s death.

“There are many accessions coming from different angles so that is why it’s not conclusive to say this is what happened,” says Mabona.

According to the department, there was an activity at the school where an altercation occurred between two educators. The police were then called in after it was revealed that a learner was in possession of a toy gun, it was then confiscated by the police and the learner was taken home.

The family says when the child came home he was complaining of complications. He was then taken to the hospital and later died.

The Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited the school to understand the complexity of the issue and has since appointed a task team to investigate the exact causes.