New search for answers into 5-year-old’s death at Coronationville school

2026-02-13 - 04:16

The Gauteng Education Department says it is finalising the appointment of a law firm to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of a Grade R learner from Bernard Isaacs Primary School in Coronationville, Johannesburg. Five-year-old Manqoba Mnisi allegedly died after being left alone in a classroom during a school function. Mnisi’s tragic passing has left his family shattered and the community demanding answers. Independent investigation Gauteng Education Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said that, according to preliminary information, the incident occurred on Monday, 2 February 2026. “The learner allegedly sustained injuries on the school premises. The learner sadly passed away after being hospitalised later that day. “The purpose of the independent investigation is to establish the full facts and circumstances surrounding this incident,” Mabona said. ALSO READ: Gauteng ‘has not lost R1 billion’ on unfinished schools, DID says Law firm The law firm will be formally introduced by Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, to both the deceased learner’s family and the school on Tuesday, 17 February 2026. “We express our heartfelt condolences to the learner’s family, the school, and the community during this extremely difficult time,” said Chiloane. Chiloane will be visiting Mnisi’s family in Soweto on Friday. Scholar transport In a separate matter, Mabona confirmed that the department has paid scholar transport service providers, and all affected scholar transport operations are expected to resume on Monday, 16 February 2026. “The department sincerely apologises to learners and parents for the inconvenience caused by recent disruptions. We wish to reassure all stakeholders that learner support remains a priority, and comprehensive catch-up programmes are being implemented to minimise loss of teaching and learning time.” Chiloane urged all stakeholders to always prioritise engagements and avoid disruptions at all costs. “Such disruptions have a negative impact on the well-being of learners and the broader community. Learning and teaching must remain a priority regardless of any impasse.” Challenges The GDE scholar transport programme experienced challenges earlier this month, with some service providers suspending services over outstanding payments. The halted services affected pupils and led to low attendance at some schools. The GDE at the time said that it works within “available financial processes” to finalise payments. It appealed to service providers to provide continuous, uninterrupted transportation to all pupils in the programme. ALSO READ: Cutting quintile 5 funding punishes the middle class, not the rich