A Grade 3 learner has died, and five others were injured after a wall collapsed at Lerutle Primary School in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) confirmed on Friday.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said he was “profoundly shocked and saddened” by the incident, which occurred during breaktime on Thursday.
According to preliminary information, a section of the school wall suddenly gave way, falling onto six learners. Emergency services were called to the scene and rushed the injured children to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment.
One of the learners, a young boy in Grade 3, later died in hospital from his injuries.
The GDE said the exact cause of the collapse remains unclear and is now the subject of an investigation. Officials are expected to assess the structural integrity of the school infrastructure as part of efforts to determine what led to the incident.
Chiloane conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and the school community, describing the incident as a devastating loss.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and the loss of such a young life. Our thoughts are with the learner’s family, fellow learners, educators and the entire school community,” he said.
The department has since deployed psycho-social support teams to Lerutle Primary School to assist learners, teachers and the affected family. Counsellors are expected to remain on site in the coming days as the school community processes the tragedy.
Spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is prioritising support for those impacted while working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about infrastructure safety at public schools in Gauteng, particularly in older facilities where maintenance backlogs have previously been flagged as a risk.
No further details have been released about the condition of the five injured learners, but officials said they are receiving medical care.
Authorities have urged the public to allow investigators space to complete their work, while assuring that accountability will follow once the cause of the collapse is determined.
