By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Little Ashford Preschool CEO Cedric Ntumba says they’re deeply saddened by Kganya Mokhele’s death and are co-operating fully with the authorities to ensure that a full investigation is conducted.
The toddler,3, succumbed to severe injuries after a 2-metre-tall bookshelf collapsed on him at the school on Tuesday.
In a statement, Ntumba said “at present they cannot provide further details, but additional updates will be given as more information becomes available.”
Little Ashford Preschool statement reads as follows:
We are all traumatised and devastated following yesterday’s incident.
We cannot begin to understand the depths of the Mokhele’s family pain, and we will be there every step of the way to support them through this awful time.
The team at Little Ashford Senderwood is deeply saddened, and we have sent our sincerest condolences to the family. We are mourning Kganya’s death, and the entire Little Ashford community shares the family’s sorrow. We are co-operating fully with the authorities and will ensure that a full investigation is conducted.
We will be providing counselling to the children at Little Ashford Senderwood, our parent body at the school, all our teachers and support staff.
The family are in our thoughts and prayers, and we wish them strength during this time.
Out of respect, the school will be closed for the rest of this week and will re-open on Monday 13 March.
We are trying process this overwhelming incident and I encourage all involved parties to provide support and care at this extremely difficult time.
At present we cannot provide further details, but additional updates will be given as more information becomes available.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says they will put every effort into the investigation of Mokhele’s death following an accident at Little Ashford Preschool.
Chiloane visited the facility in Bedfordview on Wednesday afternoon where he met with the family as well as officials, including the school principal and CEO of the Ashford group.
The MEC said that a parallel investigation had been launched by the department to probe claims of negligence made against the family by the school.
The Mokhele family has accused staff at Little Ashford Preschool of failing to take precautionary measures to prevent an incident like the one that killed three-year-old Kganya.
Chiloane said that the department’s probe would focus on compliance.
“We are investigating different things, beyond murder,” Chiloane said.
While the MEC said that he did not want to prejudge the outcome of investigations, he tore into the school.
“Personally, I think you failed there, you failed the family,” the MEC said.
Chiloane added that the investigations would determine the school’s fate.