A trip to an Eastern Cape schools competition took a tragic turn when two top performing pupils drowned.
Three pupils from Wodehouse Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba, a teacher and a subject advisor travelled to East London on Sunday to participate in the provincial economic and management science competition (EMS).
The competition took place at the Guild Theatre on Monday.
The team from Wodehouse checked into Edge Lodge in Beacon Bay before 8pm on Sunday.
Tragedy struck less than an hour later. Lodge owner Mbuyiselo Kondile told the Daily Dispatch yesterday how he had rushed to the swimming pool after hearing the cries of the housekeeper.
“It was shortly after 8pm.
All three children, aged between 13 and 16, were in trouble in the pool. “I jumped into the pool and tried to rescue them but I couldn’t.”
Kondile said he ran to a private ambulance company based nearby. They responded immediately but it was too late for one child, who was declared dead on the scene.
The two others were rushed to Frere Hospital, but one died later.
The third was discharged early on Monday.
The names of the victims have not yet been released by the provincial department of education.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed that an inquest had been opened into the incident.
Kondile said the pupils had sneaked out of their rooms after checking in and managed to pass the gates to the swimming pool.
“I am not sure if they were locked or not. They were wearing swimming costumes.
He sent condolences to the families. “My heart is bleeding. It’s the first time that we have experienced something like this,” he said.
Kondile said his establishment met all the safety and emergency requirements.
The pool is in the middle of the establishment and rooms are connected to it by gates. Kondile said there were warning signs.
School principal Hlalukana Bota said pupils and teachers were still in shock. State officials had arrived to pay condolences and to counsel traumatised pupils and staff.
Counselling had also been arranged for parents of the deceased, who Bota said were top performers.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department was saddened by the incident.
“The two pupils, a boy and a girl, were part of a three-member Grade 9 team from this district that was attending EMS.”
The EMS competition is meant to pave the way for pupils to start thinking about their careers at the early stages of their schooling.
The programme includes entrepreneurship, economics and financial literacy.
Mtima said their parents were informed and staff who were accompanying them from the district have been referred for counselling.
Attempts to get a comment from their families were unsuccessful at time of writing yesterday.
Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that two pupils were admitted at Frere and one had died.
Two pupils drown at B&B
Three pupils from Wodehouse Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba, a teacher and a subject advisor travelled to East London on Sunday to participate in the provincial economic and management science competition (EMS).
The competition took place at the Guild Theatre on Monday.
The team from Wodehouse checked into Edge Lodge in Beacon Bay before 8pm on Sunday.
Tragedy struck less than an hour later. Lodge owner Mbuyiselo Kondile told the Daily Dispatch yesterday how he had rushed to the swimming pool after hearing the cries of the housekeeper.
“It was shortly after 8pm.
All three children, aged between 13 and 16, were in trouble in the pool. “I jumped into the pool and tried to rescue them but I couldn’t.”
Kondile said he ran to a private ambulance company based nearby. They responded immediately but it was too late for one child, who was declared dead on the scene.
The two others were rushed to Frere Hospital, but one died later.
The third was discharged early on Monday.
The names of the victims have not yet been released by the provincial department of education.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed that an inquest had been opened into the incident.
Kondile said the pupils had sneaked out of their rooms after checking in and managed to pass the gates to the swimming pool.
“I am not sure if they were locked or not. They were wearing swimming costumes.
He sent condolences to the families. “My heart is bleeding. It’s the first time that we have experienced something like this,” he said.
Kondile said his establishment met all the safety and emergency requirements.
The pool is in the middle of the establishment and rooms are connected to it by gates. Kondile said there were warning signs.
School principal Hlalukana Bota said pupils and teachers were still in shock. State officials had arrived to pay condolences and to counsel traumatised pupils and staff.
Counselling had also been arranged for parents of the deceased, who Bota said were top performers.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department was saddened by the incident.
“The two pupils, a boy and a girl, were part of a three-member Grade 9 team from this district that was attending EMS.”
The EMS competition is meant to pave the way for pupils to start thinking about their careers at the early stages of their schooling.
The programme includes entrepreneurship, economics and financial literacy.
Mtima said their parents were informed and staff who were accompanying them from the district have been referred for counselling.
Attempts to get a comment from their families were unsuccessful at time of writing yesterday.
Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that two pupils were admitted at Frere and one had died.
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