Funeral of Butterworth school pupil held

Iviwe Tyalana’s family says the school is covering up for teachers who allegedly looked on as the 16-year-old was beaten by two fellow pupils at a school in Butterworth.

The Grade 11 pupil from Lamplough Senior Secondary School later died in hospital.

He was laid to rest near his home in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.

The chairperson of the school’s governing body says bullying at the institution is uncommon and that teachers did everything in their power to save him.

The 16-year-old’s cousin says Tyalana was attacked by two pupils over a dispute that started on Facebook.

Asisipho Ndela said, “I heard that they argued over a Facebook post. One of the attackers was jealous that my cousin may have had a relationship with someone he liked. The person that attacked my cousin the most was a girl who even kicked him in the face where he was bleeding profusely.”

Iviwe Tyalana’s aunt says the family has been left with many unanswered questions.

Xolelwa Majola said, “it breaks my heart and has left me with unanswered questions. Iviwe went to complain to a teacher and was ignored. The teacher that he reported to left him alone and instead attended to the perpetrator.”

The principal has also apologised for the incident.

Mninawa Ngeyakhe said, “I called the deputy principal to say that Iviwe has passed away. We are sorry about what happened we have nothing to hide.”

The school’s governing body chairperson says the school should not be blamed for the teenager’s death.

The SGB chairperson Nobanzi Kentane said, “I believe that the school did not fail because we tried to engage with social workers to check on what happened so I don’t know what else could have been done.”

Kentane has also told eNCA that the two pupils who were allegedly behind the attack have not returned to the school and have made their first court appearance.