An independent law firm will be appointed to investigate the death of 12-year-old Mandla Chauke who drowned during a school trip on Friday last week.
During a visit to Refalotse Primary School in Winterveldt on Tuesday, where Chauke was enrolled in grade six, Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane said the law firm will probe the circumstances that led to the learner’s death.
Chiloane also visited the boy’s family and offered his condolences for their loss.
“As the department, we have decided to facilitate a process to appoint an independent law firm to conduct a thorough investigation to establish what happened. This independent investigation will run parallel with the police’s ongoing investigation,” said Chiloane.
The incident happened during a school trip to a resort by grade-six learners, who were accompanied by teachers and some parents.
It is said that after lunch, the learners prepared for swimming activities under the supervision of the educators and parents. It is alleged that the educators and parents were alerted by other learners that Chauke was unresponsive after drowning in one of the swimming pools.
The educators are said to have immediately taken the learner out of the pool and tried to resuscitate him while waiting for emergency and police to arrive.
Also read: https://sundayworld.co.za/news/another-school-tragedy-as-grade-6-learner-drowns-at-school-trip/
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