Cape Town – The Gauteng Education Department is investigating the death of Brian Ndlovu, a grade 9 student at Queens High School in Johannesburg, who died on July 31, 2023, after complaining of stomach cramps upon returning from school.
According to The Citizen, His family suspects bullying may have played a role, with allegations that older students at the school gave him rat poison.
The school’s security cameras, however, found no evidence of this alleged incident.
This was revealed after Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited Queens High School in Johannesburg on Monday to probe the death of the pupil.
#QueensHighSchool Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited the school following the death of grade 9 learner Brian Ndlovu allegedly from a bullying incident. Chiloane said bullying is a problem in all schools. @EducationGP1 @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/zhuOEqgBNW
— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 (@FaizelPatel143) August 8, 2023
“The school’s security cameras found no evidence of the alleged incident. The learner left school in good health, and there were no prior reports of bullying by the parents or school counsellors.
“The preliminary report informs the deceased was involved in an altercation with a grade 8 learner earlier on 31 July 2023, which resulted in the deceased being physical towards the grade 8 learner and as such both their parents were invited to report at school for a disciplinary hearing,” the report quoted Chiloane’s spokesperson Steve Mabona as saying.
[HAPPENING NOW]: Gauteng Education MEC @matomekopano has arrived at Queens High School in Johannesburg to meet with the school management team following the death of Brian Ndlovu, a Grade 9 boy learner from the school. pic.twitter.com/uye42NgnEp
— Gauteng Department of Education (@EducationGP1) August 7, 2023
Chiloane, however, acknowledged bullying as a widespread problem and mentioned the launch of a school safety campaign to address potential bullies and provide necessary interventions.
The school principal denied a poor record of handling bullying cases and stated they address all reported issues.
“If there are cases of bullying reported to us, I can assure you, the public, and the parents that we handle all issues, but we can only handle issues when they are reported,” school principal Johan Lourens said, according to EWN.
The #QueensHighSchool where grade 9 learner Brian Ndlovu died after allegedly being forced to drink poison said it had no record of him being bullied. Ndlovu died after complaining of stomach cramps. His family alleges he was we given rat poison by matriculants. @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/Irx4GTkIUg
— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 (@FaizelPatel143) August 8, 2023
A police investigation is ongoing to uncover the circumstances surrounding Ndlovu’s death, with the cooperation of the education department and the school.
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Picture: Twitter/@EducationGP1
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
