Burnt body found at school: Learners, teachers in shock

Police in the Western Cape are investigating a case of murder after a burnt body was discovered at a Cape Town school on Tuesday morning, 30 March 2021.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana told The South African the charred remains of an unidentified man was found at a school in Dyamara street in Browns farm, Philippi in Cape Town.

“Police are following up on leads in order to arrest the suspects responsible for this murder,” said Rwexana.

TEACHERS, LEARNERS REELING FROM DISCOVERY OF BURNT BODY

Bongolethu Primary School governing body member Linda Ntlanga told the Cape Argus that the school was forced to dismiss learners early after the discovery of the burnt body because some pupils were allegedly traumatised by the incident.

Ntlanga has allegedly begged the Western Cape Education Department to put a fence around the school, which he said is plagued by crime.

Education MEC Debbie Schäfer told The Argus that Bongolethu Primary School was one of the schools on the priority list as part of the Western Cape Safety Plan, which will see the department install perimeter fencing at 30 schools each year. The project is expected to be completed in 2023/24.

Schäfer said she was informed about the discovery of a burned body at the school and allegedly added that the body was found in an area behind the school but it was visible from certain classrooms in the building.

The MEC described the incident as truly saddening and “extremely traumatic” for those who had to witness it.

TASK TEAM TO OFFER PSYCHO-SOCIAL SUPPORT

The district office sent a task team to offer psycho-social support to learners or staff members disturbed by the sight of the burned body, according to Schäfer.

“Learners were dismissed from school early while the police attended the scene,”  added Schäfer.

The WCED and Bongolethu Primary School did not immediately respond to The South African’s request for comment at the time of publication.

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