Tragedy after celebrating pupils sneak out of lodge to go swimming

A grade 12 pupil who drowned during a matric dance excursion at the weekend had apparently sneaked out of a lodge with friends for a dip.

Tlhalefang Mahumapelo, 18, a pupil at Lethabong Secondary School in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, drowned in a swimming pool at Ananda Lodge in Rustenburg, North West, where they were booked for their matric dance event.

Pupils at his school on Sunday screamed and cried uncontrollably when they gathered a day after his death. An urgent meeting had been convened at the school to address parents about what had happened.

Acting district director Laura Moeletsi said the incident happened on Saturday about 6pm.

"Two hours after they checked in at the lodge, four boys sneaked out and went swimming. It is believed that when they got to the swimming pool, Mahumapelo dived into the 1.6m-deep pool but struggled to swim," Moeletsi said.

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