The Gauteng Education Department has been experiencing tragedies and misfortunes lately and the latest one is devastating. Three teachers from Riverlea Secondary School were involved in a car accident in the early hours of Sunday morning, 26 January 2020 , and were pronounced dead on the scene. They allegedly lost their lives in a head-on collision in Evaton.
According to the principal, Mr Ashley Harris, the deceased educators, two males and one female, did not report for work on Monday. He called one educator but to no avail, and tried the second one, who also did not answer his phone as it went to voicemail. The principal then decided to look for them, on Tuesday, accompanied by another teacher who was last seen with them the previous week in Orange Farm.
The pair decided to report the matter to the police after arriving at one educator’s home and being told that they had been last seen the previous Friday. As the search continued the principal was later informed, by a family member of one of the deceased, about a fatal car accident that involved three occupants who matched the description of the missing teachers.
MEC Lesufi visited the school to confirm and convey his condolences to the principal and the school community. The department’s Psycho-Social Unit also visited the school to debrief educators, who will also receive support from the Employee Wellness Programme.
The department will provide temporary educators in the interim for learners not to fall behind on their school work.“We wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families and the entire school community. This loss affects the entire Education fraternity. We hope that the families will find comfort in the knowledge that we are with them in our prayers during this difficult time of sorrow,” said MEC Lesufi.
