Tragedy hits Riverlea High School as three teachers die

Three teachers from Riverlea High School in the south of Johannesburg have died in a car accident, according to the Gauteng education department.

It is believed that the teachers were killed in a car accident on Sunday.

The department’s Johannesburg West District Director, Dennis Macuacua, said the principal of Riverlea, Ashley Harris, noticed on Monday that the three teachers were not at work.

Harris then tried calling the teachers and found that their phones were off.

“On Tuesday, with still no word from the teachers, the principal enlisted the help of another teacher who was close to the three teachers. They went to Orange Farm where one of the teachers resided. When they got there the neighbours indicated that they had last seen the teacher on Friday,” Macuacua said.

The last time anyone spoke to the teachers was on Saturday, Macuacua said, adding that they were going to watch a football match in Orange Farm.

When Harris visited the venue of the football match “some of the people said they saw the three teachers” but that was all they could recall, Macuacua said.

Macuacua said the principal then went to the Orange Farm police station to check if there was anything reported to them.

“The police indicated that there was nothing. And that’s when the principal reported that he was missing three teachers,” Macuacua said.

“This morning the principal received the news that there was allegedly an accident involving a car that fits the description of that belonging to one of the teachers. The principal contacted the family of the teacher who later confirmed that the body was one of the missing teachers,” Macuacua said.

Macuacua added that the other two families had not confirmed the identities of the bodies found in the car.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited the school on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter the MEC said: “It’s becoming difficult, extremely difficult for the sector. Condolences to the families of our three educators.”

The principal said that he was in shock.

“I was in shock when I received the news. I struggled to find the words when I had to address the teachers,” Harris said.

Though the school is in mourning teaching will continue, the principal added.

“It’ll be understandable if some of the teachers want to take some time off.”

Macuacua said a team of psychologists had been deployed to help the teachers and learners.

“We will provide the school with three teachers as soon as tomorrow to ensure that the business of teaching continues. This will be under the instruction of our psychologists,” he said.

Sthembiso Lebuso Journalist | City Press

+27 11 713 9001 Sthembiso.Lebuso@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

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