Nelspruit - A pupil has allegedly committed suicide on Friday in Schoemansdal in Mpumalanga after finding out that he failed grade 12, while another allegedly took his own life in Waterval Boven in the same province after he learnt that he passed grade 12 with a higher certificate, police said.
Spokesman Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said police in Schoemansdal in Ehlanzeni district municipality received a complaint at about 8 am that a 19-year-old man hanged himself.
“The police went to the scene and found the body of a man lying on the floor with an electric accord on his neck,” said Hlathi.
He did not immediately say if the body was found at the dead man’s home.
“Another electric cord was hanging from the roof. A preliminary investigation revealed that the man hanged himself after finding out that he failed matric. He received his matric results through an SMS.”
Police received another complaint just before noon that an 18-year-old man hanged himself in Waterval Boven in the Nkangala district municipality added Hlathi.
“The police went to the scene and found the body of a man lying on the floor,” said Hlathi.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that the man hanged himself using an electric cord that was hanging on his neck. He received his matric results via SMS and found out that he passed with a higher certificate. I cannot say whether the body was found at the dead man’s his home as this forms part of the investigation.”
Two inquest dockets have been opened for investigation, Hlathi added.
On Friday morning, Mpumalanga education MEC Reginah Mhaule appealed to school principals, communities and families to support pupils who failed grade 12 in 2017. She said a total of 48,483 full-time grade 12 pupils wrote all seven subjects in the province in the province in 2017, adding that 36,273 of them have passed.
“It is worrisome to note that 12,210 candidates did not make it,” said Mhaule while speaking in Leroro Village in Thaba Chweu local municipality, where she also announced the 2017 grade 12 results.