Dad watches helplessly as teen with chest pain takes his last breath
A TEENAGER tragically died in the arms of his father at an initiation school yesterday.
The 15-year-old identified as Indiphile Mtshemla of Duncan Village’s D-Section reportedly suffered severe chest pains and respiratory problems before dying just after midday at a Gompo initiation school.
He was admitted to the school two weeks ago.
His death brings the number of initiates who have died in the province since the start of the winter season to 21.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene yesterday alongside the Mdantsane access road but found the boy already dead.
His distraught father Daniel Mtshemla had earlier been called to the school by the traditional surgeon in charge, Zukile Sitwayi.
“Indiphile had a history of chest pains and respiratory problems.
“He died complaining of chest pains,” Mtshemla said.
He said he arrived at the school at 3am.
“The surgeon had called for me because my son was not well. I monitored him and at 7am he said he was feeling much better, however I did not leave.
“I stayed with him but by midday he told me that the chest pains were back and that he was struggling to breath,” said Mtshemla.
Speaking through tears Mtshemla recalled his son’s last moments.
“For a second I had him, he was right there with me and then I saw him pass away,” said the distraught father.
Fellow initiates watched from a distance as his body was taken away.
Crime scene investigators combed the scene while detectives took statements from Sitwayi.
Buffalo Flats station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Reginah Rampota arrived and took a second statement from Sitwayi.
Department of health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the incident was regrettable and initiation related deaths were becoming a crisis, especially in the Transkei.
The department has set aside R20-million to curb initiate deaths in the province during this financial year.
Kupelo said parents needed to work with the department’s appointed social workers and medical doctors to fight the scourge.
“Some parents are not cooperating and we are receiving reports that there have been parents who have hidden their children away when our officials were responding to distress calls at initiation schools,” said Kupelo.
East London police spokeswoman, Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala, said an inquest docket had been opened at the Buffalo Flats police station.
“We will only know about the real cause of death once a postmortem has been conducted,” she said. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Initiate, 15, dies in his father's arms
A TEENAGER tragically died in the arms of his father at an initiation school yesterday.
The 15-year-old identified as Indiphile Mtshemla of Duncan Village’s D-Section reportedly suffered severe chest pains and respiratory problems before dying just after midday at a Gompo initiation school.
He was admitted to the school two weeks ago.
His death brings the number of initiates who have died in the province since the start of the winter season to 21.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene yesterday alongside the Mdantsane access road but found the boy already dead.
His distraught father Daniel Mtshemla had earlier been called to the school by the traditional surgeon in charge, Zukile Sitwayi.
“Indiphile had a history of chest pains and respiratory problems.
“He died complaining of chest pains,” Mtshemla said.
He said he arrived at the school at 3am.
“The surgeon had called for me because my son was not well. I monitored him and at 7am he said he was feeling much better, however I did not leave.
“I stayed with him but by midday he told me that the chest pains were back and that he was struggling to breath,” said Mtshemla.
Speaking through tears Mtshemla recalled his son’s last moments.
“For a second I had him, he was right there with me and then I saw him pass away,” said the distraught father.
Fellow initiates watched from a distance as his body was taken away.
Crime scene investigators combed the scene while detectives took statements from Sitwayi.
Buffalo Flats station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Reginah Rampota arrived and took a second statement from Sitwayi.
Department of health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the incident was regrettable and initiation related deaths were becoming a crisis, especially in the Transkei.
The department has set aside R20-million to curb initiate deaths in the province during this financial year.
Kupelo said parents needed to work with the department’s appointed social workers and medical doctors to fight the scourge.
“Some parents are not cooperating and we are receiving reports that there have been parents who have hidden their children away when our officials were responding to distress calls at initiation schools,” said Kupelo.
East London police spokeswoman, Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala, said an inquest docket had been opened at the Buffalo Flats police station.
“We will only know about the real cause of death once a postmortem has been conducted,” she said. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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