Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Education has embarked on an urgent water delivery plan at 61 schools in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, following the discovery of cholera cases in the area.
This comes after a three-year-old child died in hospital while receiving medical treatment last week after allegedly displaying symptoms of cholera. Two other children were also hospitalised after displaying similar symptoms, but were discharged on Wednesday.
Since the outbreak, cholera has so far claimed 20 lives.Six cases were confirmed in the Free State.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said the urgent supply of water to primary and secondary schools was necessary.
He said: “We are shocked by the passing of a young soul who is suspected to have contracted cholera. We wish to express our sincerest condolences to the family and community as a whole. The department has developed an urgent water delivery plan which is under way at about 61 schools and this plan will continue until there is a lasting solution in the matter.”
The department said teaching and learning had not been affected since the discovery of cholera in Hammanskraal because schools benefited from the supply of water by the municipality.
However, parents and guardians were sceptical about taking their children to school without bottled water as many did not want to risk their children’s health and lives.
A parent who did not want to be named told IOL that her child carried a litre of bottled water to school everyday to avoid complications.
“The fact that now water is being supplied to communities shows that indeed there’s something wrong with the water. Now the same water is also supplied to schools, can we trust them with our children’s lives? Never, it can’t happen,” she said.
Due to water shortages and communities sharing water with schools, the department said it would continue to supply schools in the affected areas with water.
“The department will continue to supply water to all affected schools and assist the Gauteng Department of Health on advocacy regarding cholera,” it said.
Chiloane said he was also saddened by the death of an 11-year-old schoolboy from Laerskool Booysen who died in a car crash while 24 other learners were hospitalised.
Reports said that the motor vehicle accident occurred in Rosslyn, Tshwane, on Wednesday while learners from Mabopane were on their way to school using minibus scholar transport.
“The accident left two learners hospitalised and in ICU at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, while about 21 learners were also rushed to different hospitals and later discharged after receiving necessary medical treatment,” the department said.
“We are devastated by the occurrence of this unfortunate incident, and convey our deepest condolences to the grieving families and school community at large. As the department, we call for safety and vigilance on our roads at all times,” Chiloane said.
The department said psycho-social support was provided to all those affected by the incident at the school, and the same had been extended to the bereaved family of the deceased learner.
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