Parktown Boys High principal suspended following Enoch Mpianzi tragedy

24 Jan 2020 | Admin Author

The Principal for the Parktown Boys High School has been suspended with immediate effect.

This follows the tragic incident in which one of their grade 8 learners, Enoch Mpianzi drowned during an orientation Camp in North West.

The MEC for Education in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi has now also tasked the Law Firm "Harris Nupen Molebatsi Inc to investigate specific issues in order to get to the bottom of the facts.

He tasked the firm to get answers and clarity on the following:

Whether there are merits to the allegations and all the circumstances surrounding them.
The conduct of any Educator(s), School Management Team and the Principal in the reported case.
Whether the school followed a correct process in embarking on the Camp.
Was the Camp authorized, what procedure was followed by the school or School Governing Body in deciding to take the learners to the camp?
What was the obligation of the camp/lodge in relation to the safety of learners in the premises and what guarantees did the camp have in ensuring the safety of learners?
Does the school insurance cover this type of activity?
When did the educators and camp management realise that the learner was missing, and what procedure was followed by the school to report the missing learner?
Whether the matter was reported to the Department, if they are liable and what can be done to address the problem.
Whether there is a general problem of this nature at the school. The role, if any, of the School Governing Body in this case.
Was counselling was provided or not and whether it is necessary to provide it now.

Mpianzi's body was found in the river a week ago on Friday.

His death has sparked a national outcry with allegations that children informed teachers that their friend was missing but that nobody did anything to find him.

Here is a short excerpt from a lengthy statement issued by the Department of Education in Gauteng on Friday.