A FURIOUS dad believes his son would be alive today, had teachers rushed the injured pupil to hospital on Tuesday morning.
Thabo Molele (14), a grade 8 pupil at Phala Secondary School at Ga-Broekman Village, near Bochum in Limpopo, died after a bookshelf fell on him.
Thabo and three other pupils had been asked to pack books in the bookshelf. The shelf collapsed on him and two other pupils after giving in to the weight of the books.
One of the pupils is still in a critical condition at Polokwane Provincial Hospital. The other has been discharged. Thabo’s parents want to take legal action against the school.
His dad Piet Moyaha (45) said Thabo lay injured in the staffroom for about three hours while the teachers, instead of taking him to Helen Franz Hospital, about 8km away, waited for an ambulance.
“Neither the parents nor the police were called. I was only notified in the afternoon.
The family were denied entry into the school when they went there to inspect the spot where Thabo was injured.
His cousin Matome told Daily Sun he had to call the police to gain entry.
“We feel something is not right. That’s why they don’t want us to see the spot where he got injured.
“The shelf they allege fell on him can’t kill a person.”
Limpopo Eduction MEC Polly Boshielo said: “We’d like to convey our deepest condolences to the family, the entire school and community during this difficult time.”