Failed metric student hang self in toilet

Khumbulani Tshebi (23) and his matric friends from KwaMashu gathered excitedly early last Wednesday to check the matric results in the newspaper.

Daily Sun reported that one by one the boys and young men jumped for joy as they found they had passed, but Khumbulani's exam number was not in the paper, meaning he had failed.

While his friends rushed to tell their parents the good news, Khumbulani walked home alone, went to the toilet and hanged himself!

His heartbroken father, Mawethu Skhosana (46), said he blames the department of basic education for the tragedy. He  said  the department should provide counselling for pupils before and after exams.

"We cannot sit and watch our children killing themselves all the time. It's time the department stood up and tried to prevent these unnecessary deaths," said Mawethu.

He said his heart was torn apart because his son only failed two subjects – maths and geography.

"He could have rewritten those subjects in a short while. But because he was embarrassed and afraid of being laughed at, he decided to end his life. This would not have happened had the department taken steps in time."

Mawethu said his son, who had been a pupil at Kwesethu High School in KwaMashu, wanted to be a climatologist. When contacted by Daily Sun, departmental spokesman Muzi Mahlambi said they always urge pupils to go to their school to get their results.

"The results at school are more reliable and there are teachers who can assist pupils and interpret the results. Parents should also not pressurise their kids by comparing them with others," said Mahlambi.

Major Thulani Zwane said an inquest docket was opened at KwaMashu cop shop for investigation after a young man was found hanged in a toilet.