‘We fear she may have been pushed‚’ says family of 5-year-old who died in pit latrine

Little Lumka Mkhethwa’s life was cut short in the most harrowing way on Monday‚ drowning inside her school’s pit latrine – and now her father is devastated that the little girl may have been pushed.

The 5-year-old’s body was found on Tuesday inside the latrine in Bizana in the Eastern Cape‚ a day after she had gone missing.

Lumka's father‚ Vuyani Mkhethwa‚ said the family was not coping.

“Although we do not know the details of how this tragedy happened‚ from how she was found it does not look like she was using the toilet because she still had her underwear on.

“From the position of her legs it leaves us with the fear that she may have been pushed.”

This fears comes as the family demanded answers.

“We do not understand how this happened‚” he told TimesLIVE’s sister publication‚ the Daily Dispatch. “We were under the impression that children are escorted to the toilet‚ especially at that age.

“We have serious questions about the responsibility of the teachers but we have received a visit from department officials‚ who have promised to investigate. We will decide our course of action after that.”

Basic education department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said a task team was sent to investigate Viwe’s death.

For the full story‚ visit Daily Dispatch.