The deaths of two teenagers who drowned during a school camp on Monday at the Hennops River in Centurion have reignited debate on whether schools should consider stopping such excursions.
Daveyton Skills School pupils Siphamandla Peterson, 15, and Sibusiso Sibiya, 17, died while attending a discipline camp held by the NGO Rising Stars Generation. Sibiya died while trying to save Peterson.
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane said the trip was not sanctioned. No teacher accompanied the pupils on the trip. TimesLIVE Premium put a spotlight on one of the boys who was part of the discipline camp who recounted what happened and described the camp as “hell”.
These drownings add to a series of deaths during school trips over the past few years. In January, Laerskool Queenswood grade 7 pupil Latoya Temilton drowned during a school trip to Wag ’n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen, Pretoria.
Grade 6 pupil Mandla Chauke from Refalotse Primary School in Winterveldt drowned in a swimming pool in December 2022 during a school trip to a resort.
Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi drowned during a Parktown Boys' High School camp at the Crocodile River in January 2020.
POLL | Should school camps stop as drowning cases rise?
Image: City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department.
The deaths of two teenagers who drowned during a school camp on Monday at the Hennops River in Centurion have reignited debate on whether schools should consider stopping such excursions.
Daveyton Skills School pupils Siphamandla Peterson, 15, and Sibusiso Sibiya, 17, died while attending a discipline camp held by the NGO Rising Stars Generation. Sibiya died while trying to save Peterson.
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane said the trip was not sanctioned. No teacher accompanied the pupils on the trip. TimesLIVE Premium put a spotlight on one of the boys who was part of the discipline camp who recounted what happened and described the camp as “hell”.
These drownings add to a series of deaths during school trips over the past few years. In January, Laerskool Queenswood grade 7 pupil Latoya Temilton drowned during a school trip to Wag ’n Bietjie Resort in Witkoppen, Pretoria.
Grade 6 pupil Mandla Chauke from Refalotse Primary School in Winterveldt drowned in a swimming pool in December 2022 during a school trip to a resort.
Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi drowned during a Parktown Boys' High School camp at the Crocodile River in January 2020.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
‘Camp of hell’: sister says her brother told the family of ‘abuse’ and ill-treatment
Two boys drown in Hennops River during school excursion
Adverse findings against Laerskool Queenswood over grade 7 pupil's drowning at camp
Gauteng education department appoints law firm to investigate Queenswood school drowning
Mpianzi family files R20m lawsuit
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