Following allegations of rape, a learner from Mpumalanga allegedly uttered his final words to his mother.
This past weekend the hashtag #JusticeForBafanaSithole gained traction after it was brought to people’s attention that a learner from the province of Mpumalanga had committed suicide after allegedly being falsely accused of rape, IOL reports.
On Thursday, a student who was enrolled in the 11th grade at Kriel High School in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, is believed to have taken his own life on the school grounds.
On Thursday morning, the department of education for the province claims that they found evidence that Sithole had hanged himself in the storage area for the classroom.
However, it was discovered in the days that followed that he planned his own suicide after he was allegedly falsely accused of rape by another classmate. At the time, the department stated that the circumstances that led up to this incident were unknown; however, they have since come to light.
Gerald Sambo, a spokesperson for the Mpumalanga education department, confirmed the incident and added that one of the teachers discovered the student’s body hanging in one of the classrooms.
“One of the educators went back into the classroom where the learner was found and found that he had already hanged himself. The learners are currently taking their end-of-year exams, and they had just finished taking the exam. Some of the other learners had already left to go home.
“They called him, the medical practitioners, and together with the local doctor who came in, they tried to resuscitate the child but unfortunately it was already too late, they were unable to save the child “Sambo said.
He stated that a representative from the department would go to the school to offer support to the family as well as the students who were impacted. On Friday, a number of officials went to the school in order to gather more information about the incident and offer their support.
It is believed that Sithole wrote an emotional suicide note to his mother, which has since gone viral on social media. In the note, Sithole says that his soul will not rest in peace because he has been sent to death by those who claimed that he was a rapist. Sithole took his own life after being accused of being a rapist.
“Mama, I really hope that you receive this letter.
“It won’t be possible for me to come back by the time you’re done reading this.” At the beginning of the heartfelt letter is the statement, “Let me love you and leave you.”
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“The young man knew the system would fail him and not just now but even in the future this allegation was going to close a lot of doors for him,” Kay-Geezle @kagiso mmotlana wrote on Twitter. “Not just now but even in the future this allegation was going to close a lot of doors for him.”
He was doomed to spend the rest of his life carrying the stigma of a rapist. #JusticeForBafanaSithole”
It is expected that the provincial department will pay a visit to the school in Mpumalanga and provide counselling sessions to all of those who were affected.
