School negligent in lawnmower death - probe

The police investigation into the matter continues and the department said it would cooperate fully with the investigation. Following the accident, Avuyile Baninzi was taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, but passed away on the way to the facility. (Image: Robert Cutts, via Wikimedia Commons)

This follows the outcome of an investigation by the department into the death of Avuyile Indiphile Baninzi, after he was run over by the school's industrial lawn mower on 11 February 2014.

According to an investigation report, announced by the department on Friday, the learner was injured by a lawn mower that was operated by the school's general assistant on the day of the incident.

Avuyile and fellow learners were playing on the school grounds during break-time, while the general assistant was cutting grass on the same school grounds in preparation of the inter-house sports day, which was to take place the next day. An ambulance was called and the learner was taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. He passed away on the way to the hospital.

The department explained that the investigation looked into the circumstances surrounding the death of a learner - this included whether the generic school safety policy or Dikgabane's school safety policy was breached and the conduct of officials in handling the matter.

Oral interviews

"It also looked at whether the incident was reported timeously to the South African Police Service, the District, and the Head Office as required by the department's policy, whether the department is liable or not, and whether any counselling was provided to the affected parties.

"Based on oral interviews and documentary evidence, the investigation found that the school safety policy was breached and that there was negligence on the part of certain officials at the school," the department said.

The department noted that while the report indicates that proper procedures were followed in reporting the matter to the district, the head office, and the police, it pointed out some general weaknesses in how safety and maintenance matters were handled.

With regard to maintenance, the investigation found that the school safety policy was breached on the day of the incident.

It was against school conduct that grass would be cut during break-time when learners were on the grounds.

The report from the investigation further states that officials at the school should have taken the necessary precautionary steps to ensure that in dealing with the pressure of having the grounds ready on time, learners are not at risk of injury.

Although learners were under supervision that day, the supervision was not adequate, according to the investigation.

Mowers and children DO NOT mix

The educator, who was on grounds duty on the day, should have taken extra preventive measures against imminent danger. It is reported that the educator kept on chasing the learners away from the lawn mower and allowed the general assistant to continue cutting the grass, thus placing the learners in danger.

Officials on grounds duty are expected to stay alert and in full view of the actions of learners, especially those of delicate age.

According to the investigation, the general assistant should have also foreseen the danger and not placed the lives of learners at risk based on the fact that he had pressure to ensure that the grounds are ready on time.

In view of the findings, the department will take disciplinary action against officials who have breached the school safety policy.

The department is also in negotiations with the family of deceased around issues of liability.

The report has been shared with the family of the deceased as well as members of the School Governing Body at Dikgabane Primary School.