Drum – 08 August 2019

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

http://www.drum.co.za8 AUGUST (^2019) | 15
‘My child lost his life
at his school which he
loved so much’
Fundile Gade, the province’s education
MEC, promised the trees would be cut
down – and this time, there was delivery
on the promise. They have started cutting
back the trees and the school has tempo-
rarily been suspended to allow learners
and teachers to go for counselling.
But it took a death before anything
happened – and for Phatheka, it’s too lit-
tle, too late. “I blame the government be-
cause we have been asking for these trees
to be chopped down for a long time. Now
this has happened and my child is gone.”
The last time she saw her son alive was
that morning. He had kissed her cheek
and said, “bye-bye, Mama,” before hurry-
ing to get to his school transport.
She had hoped Asenathi would suc-
ceed in life and help change his family’s
fortune by building them a house of their
own, she says. As an unemployed mom,
she and her two remaining kids live at
her family’s home where everyone strug-
gles to get by on their social grants.
“I was invested in educating my child.
I even arranged the school trans-
port to make sure he was getting
there safely. He lost his life at his
school which he loved so much.”


P

HATHEKA is unable
to hold back her tears
as she tells us how
teachers rushed to
her home to tell her
the terrible news, and
offered to take her to the nearby
St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki.


There she was met with the
gruesome sight of her son, his skull
cracked open badly enough that his


brain was visible.
“Asenathi was still alive and the doc-
tors were busy with him. I couldn’t be-
lieve what I was seeing, that terrible in-


jury. I burst into tears when I realised his


chance of survival was slim. But I prayed
my child would somehow make it.”
Doctors decided Asenathi’s best
chance was to be treated in Mthatha,
and he was airlifted there.
Phatheka made arrangements for a
friend to look after her baby girl, three-
month-old Lingomso, and the teachers
drove her to Mthatha. “While we were
driving I knew something was wrong.
When we got to the hospital the doctor
told me Asenathi had died. He said that
even if he had lived, he would have been
mentally disabled or even brain dead.”
Asenathi’s two friends survived the
branch, but both boys are traumatised
by their friend’s death and their injuries.
Lindokuhle’s right middle finger had
to be amputated, his grandmother,
Nozamile Bhontshi, says. “He is still
in hospital. He is traumatised by what
happened and he cries a lot. My grand-
son may no longer be in much physical
pain but emotionally, he’s not okay.”

Alondwe’s mother, Nompumezo
Nqubula, says she won’t allow her child
to return to the school until it is safe
again. Alondwe also injured his hand
when the branch fell.
“What happened is so painful. I’m
holding back the tears for my child’s sake
because I must be strong. He cries at
night because of the pain. But we have to
find a way to move forward. At least the
MEC has promised counselling and
medical care for my child.”
Mtima says the department of social
development sent 10 social workers to
provide counselling for the learners and
teachers in the wake of the incident.
Gade sent his condolences to
Asenathi’s family and wished a speedy
recovery to the learners who survived
the tragedy.
ForPhatheka,itfeelsasthoughher
painwillneverdissipate.“Asenathiloved
mesomuch.I willmisshimsomuch.”
EXTRA SOURCES: TIMESLIVE, ENCA, DAILY SUN

FAR LEFT:
Alondwe
Nqubula was
injured in the
same tragic
accident and
his mother,
Nompumezo,
says he is now
suffering from
nightmares.
LEFT: Zaziwe
Gani comforts
her grieving
relative,
Phatheka.

ABOVE: Fudile Gade,
Eastern Cape MEC for
education, has now
arranged for the trees
surrounding Lusikisiki
Village Junior Secondary
School (RIGHT) to be
trimmed back.

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