Pupils collapse, faint in mysterious circumstances

ANXIETY has gripped the mining town of Hwange after pupils attending Hwange Government Secondary School allegedly collapsed and fainted under mysterious circumstances.

Parents said they suspect acts of satanism and implored authorities to call an urgent meeting to address the issue. They hinted on inviting tsikamutandas to assist.

The schoolhead Bhekani Moyo, recently invited some parents to witness for themselves pupils becoming unconscious while frothing from the mouth.

Some of the victims were admitted at Hwange Colliery Hospital.

Girls are the most affected and this has been happening for a month, according to sources.

The sources said those who fall victim claim to see strange things and complain about headaches and dizziness before collapsing.

Four girls reportedly fainted on Monday last week while some collapsed on Thursday and Friday.

One of the victims, a Form Four girl who cannot be named said: "I just started suffering from a headache and suddenly I was dizzy and collapsed. I don't know what transpired as I later woke up in hospital. I heard there are others who collapsed and some are yet to return to school."

A parent,  Philip Zulu, said his Form Four daughter has not been going to school for the past two weeks following the incident.

"I was invited to the school by the head. There were 11 of us who had children who collapsed and fainted. We don't understand what's happening. The head asked us about our children's medical history and none had a problem prior to this. The head said they would look into the issue but our worry is that nothing has been done and we suspect the school knows what is happening," said Zulu.

Another parent who identified herself only as Moyo said her daughter had mysteriously collapsed three times at school.

"We are worried as parents. We are also not happy about what is happening at the school because it is affecting girls only. Noone can tell what is happening. I was only phoned last week on Monday when my daughter had been rushed to Hwange Colliery Hospital where she remained unconscious until the next day.

"We suspect there is something strange happening at the school because the victims say they would see strange things which they can't really describe. It was my daughter's third time to collapse. We wish the school would call a meeting so that we come up with a way forward," she said.

In a telephone interview from Chitungwiza, Precious Moyo said they had to invite a prophet to attend to her younger sister who collapsed last week.

She said doctors said there was nothing wrong with the girl.

"They carried out different tests on her and the doctor confirmed there was nothing medically wrong with her. We wonder why the school is not reporting the issue to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Parents wanted to report what is happening to the District Education Officer (DEO) because they suspect that there is satanism.

The school head, Moyo, confirmed there were such incidents but could not be drawn into giving details as he referred questions to the DEO Lovemore Ncube.

"Kukhona okwabekwayo (there could be something). I'm not allowed to talk to the press so you can phone the DEO because I went there myself," said Moyo.

Ncube, however, said no official report had been brought to his office.

"I haven't received any formal report or complaint. I' m in Bulawayo but we will go there tomorrow with the inspector and find out," he said.

A number of schools in Matabeleland North Province have been haunted by suspected acts of witchcraft. Last year, Neshaya School on the outskirts of Hwange Town was closed for some time after similar incidents.