[imagesource: Michel Bega / Citizen]

UPDATE: It has now emerged that Enoch’s death is at least the fifth drowning death at the same lodge since 1999. Read more here.

13-year-old Enoch Mpianzi went off on his Grade Eight orientation camp last week, at the Nyati Bush and River Break lodge, in North West, full of hope and excitement.

Tragically, he never returned, having drowned during a water-based activity that has both the school, Parktown Boys’ High School in Jozi, and the camp, facing serious questions about how they let this happen.

According to a fellow Grade Eight pupil, who saw Enoch being washed away, it was gross negligence at every turn, and his account of what happened, both at the time and in the hours and days that followed, is truly sickening.

The pupil, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how he met Enoch at the camp, and the two bonded. You can hear his account being read out by a Radio 702 staff member here, but this written account below comes via News24.

After the boys were instructed to make stretchers, as part of what we assume was some kind of team-building exercise, they took the stretchers to the river.

There were no teachers present at this point:

“The camp facilitators and prefects asked who could and could not swim. Those of us who said we were able to swim were instructed to handle the river task. Enoch identified himself as being able to swim.

“No life vests were issued to any of us. The school also had not asked us to bring life vests to the camp.”

This is at odds with what was first reported, where it was claimed that Enoch didn’t have a life jacket because his family couldn’t afford one.

That’s completely ridiculous, anyway, because life jackets should be provided, without further payment, by those facilitating the activity because it’s basic bloody safety.

You’re playing with children’s lives, you fools.

At the river, the boys were told to get into the water and “get ready to sail”. One boy in each group acted as an injured person and was meant to be sailed down the river to a Point B. Black, doughnut-like swimming tubes were fitted to the stretchers.

“Again, no safety vests were issued to us. The river tides were strong. In less than two minutes in the water, the stretcher capsized. It came loose and we all scrambled for things to hold on to.”

The boy said some pupils hung on to the rubber tube, which had become loose. The boys used one arm to hang on and the other to paddle.

“At that moment, I felt as if I was going to die.”

The pupil said he saw Enoch struggling in the water, and despite trying to help him, the river swept him away.

They called out for help, but there was no adult present. The next time they saw an adult was around a bend in the river, when camp facilitators pulled some boys from the water.

It gets worse:

The boys were immediately told to walk to the hall on a thorny trail. Some of the boys pulled their tracksuit pants over their feet in order to walk on the thorns.

“There were no teachers at the river – I had last seen the teachers when we arrived at the lodge. Roll call was done at the hall.”

When Enoch’s name was called, one boy raised his hand. He was asked whether he was Enoch, to which he responded “no”, but the person doing the roll call then simply moved on to the next name on the list.

“The person doing the roll call said he thinks Enoch did not come to the camp, but I told him Enoch was at the camp and the last time I saw him, he was struggling in the river.”

Rather than everyone springing into action, nothing was done, and the pupil’s concerns were brushed aside as they moved on to the next exercise.

Even after the pupil and another boy once again approached a camp facilitator, they claim he was rude and dismissive.

A second roll call once again showed Enoch was missing, but nothing was done, and the pupils went to sleep:

The following morning, after more activities, another roll call was done and Enoch, again, was not present. The teacher then said he thought Enoch did not come to the camp.

“[We] went to the teacher and told him that Enoch had definitely come to the camp and that the last time we saw him was at the river.”

A camp facilitator then took a life jacket to the river where he proceeded to search for Enoch, the boy said.

“The camp activities continued, even though Enoch was missing.”

Only later that evening, more than 24 hours after Enoch was washed away, did a facilitator start showing a picture of him around.

Police then interviewed the pupil, along with two others, and they left the camp the next day. Clearly, the school knew a storm was brewing:

“[He] emphasised that we should not speak to anyone. Later that day, I heard the news that my new friend was no longer alive…”

From start to finish, everything about this sickens me, and heads need to roll when those entrusted with the safety of children can’t even do the bare minimum to keep them safe.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has said he will be laying charges against the school in the coming days, with Parktown Boys’ releasing a statement saying they would cooperate fully with SAPS going forward.

None of that will bring Enoch back.

[source:news24]