The grieving mother of a Grade R pupil killed in a freak accident on his school premises is demanding answers from the department of education.
Likhona Gxekwayo, 5, was struck by a rock from a construction site last Monday at Vulindlela Primary School in Msobomvu, Butterworth.
Zintle Gxekwayo, 26, said though she appreciated the messages of sympathy and the support for Likhona’s funeral arrangements, she has many unanswered questions.
“Why is there construction work taking place during school hours,” she asked.
“Surely this could have been done after school hours or even during the holidays?”
She said the area was not even cordoned off properly and there were no signs to warn of any present dangers.
She said even the information she was relaying to the Daily Dispatch about the incident had been told to her by her other child, who is in Grade 2 at the school.
“He told me Likhona was coming from the toilet and when he came out a rock fell from the area where a TLB truck was doing excavation.
“Apparently all the teachers were in a meeting at the time and only when Likhona started experiencing fits and bleeding did the children run for help,” she said.
She described her son as a quiet and reserved child who had never been in trouble at home or at school.
Gxekwayo said she and her family were in so much pain, made worse by all the questions they had about the incident.
“I live in Komani and my children live here in Msobomvu with their grandmother.
“I sent them to school for them to get an education. I did not realise that I was sending them there to die. I have so many regrets and I am questioning myself as a mother now.”
She said she was even scared to send her other child back to that school, “but for now there is no alternative”.
“My mother is also still reeling from this tragedy.
“We heard officials from the department were at the funeral and they assisted, but no one came to me or my family.
“That would have been an opportunity for them to explain,” she said.
She hoped the department would now prioritise safety at schools.
Education department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the department had sent a team of investigators to the school to establish the facts relating to matter.
“For now, we are awaiting the report from the investigation before we can make any statement on the matter,” he said...