By: Natasha Archary
Two Gauteng high school learners drowned on a rugby trip in Durban over the weekend. The boys from Hoërskool Birchleigh in Kempton Park were expected to return home on Thursday, 31 March.
However, the school rugby trip turned into a tragedy when two learners went missing after a swim at North Beach, Durban.
On Sunday morning, the learners and their teachers took a trip to the beach, where lifeguards had to assist the group.
After experiencing difficulties whilst swimming, the group were helped ashore and a headcount was done.
It was discovered that two boys were missing. The rest of the learners were accompanied back to their accommodation whilst teachers searched for the missing boys.
The search went on for the entire day but the boys were not found. Teachers then opened a missing persons’ case at the Durban Central Police Station.
The boys bodies were discovered on a beach, more than 2km away from where they were swimming on Monday, 28 March.
MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi said the incident was disheartening.
“It is disheartening that a positive school sporting trip that our learners passionately participated in ended in such a tragic manner. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the two affected families and the school community at large.”
MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi
The group of learners will received counselling when they return home from Durban.
[MEDIA STATEMENT] @EducationGP1 MEC @Lesufi is disheartened by an incident involving two Grade 10 and Grade 12 boy learners from Hoërskool Birchleigh who passed away after allegedly drowning at the beach during a school trip in Durban on Sunday, 27 March 2022. | @Steve_Mabona pic.twitter.com/vs9v1C8AMc
— Gauteng Department of Education (@EducationGP1) March 28, 2022
Also read: Nelson Mandela’s warrant of arrest has been auctioned as an NFT for R 1,9 million



