15-year-old pupil ends her life after being suspended from school for her attire

Suicide

Cape Town – A 15-year-old learner Mbalenhle Ngobese from Nombika High School in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) reportedly ended her life after being suspended from school for wearing her traditional attire.

According to The Citizen, Ngobese made headlines earlier this month when she revealed in an interview with 1KZN news that the school’s principal had suspended her due to her sangoma attire.

She said that she last went to school on March 14.

“The principal suspended me because I am a sangoma and because I wear ibhayi and he told me that my attire was not part of the school uniform. He suggested I hide it under my uniform. So I explained to him that if I put it under my uniform or far from me, I would get sick but he did not agree with what I was telling him,” said Ngobese.

KZN Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu said in a statement that shortly after Ngobese made headlines, the department intervened and she was allowed back at school, where she was taught like any other learner and wrote all of her exams.

“The department has not established what led to her taking the decision to end her own life. The iLembe district director has sent a team to her family to establish the circumstances around her untimely death.

ALSO READ: Dad seeks answers after son is allegedly ‘killed by staff members with a golf stick’ at school

“As the Department of Education in KZN, we would like to send our condolences to her family, the school and friends. We pray that God gives them strength during this difficult period,” said Mshengu.

Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Picture: Unsplash

For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com 

Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo

Article written by