Parktown Boys' High 'committed' to justice as Lesufi warns he'll take action

Parktown Boys' High says it is “utterly committed” to ensuring Enock Mpianzi and his family get the justice they deserve - as education authorities prepare to act against the school and its leadership.

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced on Wednesday that he would take action within the next 48 hours.

As the country continues to share its shock and disbelief at the death of the grade 8 pupil, a report on Wednesday suggested that three other pupils may have died at the  lodge over the past two decades.

Two families came forward and told Eyewitness News that their children died while camping at the Nyati Bush and Riverbreak lodge in the North West - in 1999 and 2009.

Details about the death of a third pupil, on a school hockey training camp at the Nyati Sports School in 2010, emerged on Tuesday.

It was unclear under whose ownership the lodge was as far back as 1999.

Eyewitness News said management at the lodge had indicated earlier that they were not aware of other deaths.

The lodge, through a statement by its legal representative Daniel Eloff, on Wednesday dealt specifically with the circumstances around the death of Mpianzi, describing it as a “tragic loss”.

The lodge undertook to provide its full cooperation and assistance to all investigations into the incident.

The Parktown Boys' High school governing body (SGB) said on Wednesday in response to Lesufi’s comments that it "welcomes the acceleration of the … investigation into the tragic events".

"We are utterly committed to ensuring Enock and the Mpianzi family receive the justice they deserve. We reiterate that PBHS and the school governing body has pledged its absolute support and commitment to the [education department] and the Saps investigation into the tragedy.

"We are giving input with the honesty and courage that has defined our institution. We will play our part to ensure we get to the bottom of this tragedy, for the truth to be told and to ensure that it never happens again.

"We emphasise that our single focus in these raw, early days has been to provide support to Enock’s family, the learners and staff present at the camp, as well as our wider student body and teachers.

"The Parktown alumni have launched a fundraising campaign to support the long-term needs of the family," it added.