THE body of a Form Two pupil who was electrocuted at Dadaya High School in Zvishavane last October, is still in a mortuary as parents and the school authorities are yet to agree on conditions of burial.
Tanaka Chihwendo (14) was electrocuted after coming into contact with a live power line while playing with other boys in the school grounds.
Since then, the boy’s relatives have been demanding a full report from the school following police and Zesa investigations concluded that the power line was allegedly illegally connected by the school.
The school has been footing the mortuary bills accruing at a private funeral parlour. It is still refusing to bow to the parents’ demands, apparently for fear of being sued.
A spokesperson for the deceased boy’s family, Mr Edson Mambo, said the family had engaged lawyers to force the school to provide them with a report on the circumstances leading to the boy’s death.
“This is what we are asking for, a report from the school. At law, when the kid is in school, the school assumes the role of a parent so we are saying the school was the parent when our kid was electrocuted. So they should just give us the biological parents, a report on the electrocution.
“They are refusing, so maybe there is something behind that and we have now become very curious,” said Mr Mambo.
He said the family lawyers were now handling the matter.
The school, on the other hand, has engaged the local traditional leader, Chief Mafala, to negotiate burial conditions but so far, to no avail.
Chief Mafala said the school had been incurring mortuary charges with the family denying responsibility.
“A post mortem confirmed electrocution as the cause of detah but now the family members want a written report from the school. The school is hesitant, so we have not made any breakthrough so that we give the boy rest,” said Chief Mafala.
School head Mr Master Shumba declined to comment on the matter, referring questions to Zvishavane district schools inspector Mr Luke Matutu who yesterday expressed dismay that the boy was still to be buried.
“Am actually shocked that this hasn’t been resolved. The last time I checked with the school, they told me that they would participate in the burial. We will have to make a follow up with the school,” he said. – The Herald
