Court dismisses family's damages claim after son drowned in school's pit toilet

The High Court in Polokwane has dismissed claims for general and constitutional damages sought by the family of Michael Komape‚ a five-year-old Grade R learner who died a gruesome death when his school pit toilet collapsed and he fell in on January 20 2014.

However‚ the court put the department on terms to ensure that it supplied and installed toilets in all rural schools.

The family was seeking more than R2-million for special and constitutional damages‚ funeral costs‚ and loss of income for Michael's mother‚ Rosina Komape.

She lost her job as a domestic worker soon after the accident.