Missing Parktown Schoolboy’s Body Found After Camp Trip Tragedy

In what is every parent’s nightmare, the body of missing Parktown High School learner, Enock Mpianza, has sadly been discovered. Mpianza went missing during a school Orientation Camp at a lodge in Brits in the North West province of South Africa.

Gauteng Education Minister Panyaza Lesufi, who is at the scene, confirmed the discovery in a tweet on Friday morning. He said: “The family of Enoch Mpianza was fully briefed and we are all devastated by this tragic accident. Our thoughts are with the family and the school community.”

Parktown Boys’ High School had asked the public for help in finding the missing 13-year-old this morning. In a statement the school said the Grade 8 group had arrived on Wednesday and taken part in a water activity which included building their own rafts, at around 15h00.

On Thursday at roll call, “it was realised that a boy had gone missing from the camp”, Parktown Boys’ High said in the statement.

According to News24, the pupils had been split into groups of five and six.

North West police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said: “It appears there was a very strong current following recent heavy rain in the area. From what we understand, a number of boys fell from the raft and scrambled to get back on to it again. That was the last time (Enock) was seen.”

The teenager was from Yeoville. His parents were alerted and were on the scene while police and the local community searched for their missing son.

Lesufi is expected to hold a press conference at 13h00 today.

The school camp has been cancelled and after breakfast this morning, the boys were due to be taken home, said Lesufi.

Anguished parents of other children on the trip left messages on Lesufi’s timeline claiming the children were not wearing lifejackets and were allegedly not watched by a lifeguard. “My son says he also almost washed away, had to grab onto a tree and also rescue a friend???” said one. Another said: “My son was also part of this camp, and says they all almost drowned… I just don’t understand why no safety measures were taken, this could have been prevented. ?” Many pointed out that the problem was that these children were new to the school, so many did not yet have friends to notice if they went missing.