No roll call done at Parktown Boys camp, says resort

Mpianzi was swept away by a current in the Crocodile River in North West during the school's Grade 8 orientation camp.

According to the resort's legal representative Daniël Eloff, the boys were supervised by camp facilitators as well as the school staff members.

"Only one part of the stretcher-run activity involved the river. Participants, who were working in teams of more or less seven each, had to pass through about 20 metres of a shallow bend on the outside edge of the river-bank, with one member on a stretcher which had to be improvised as a raft, supported by four tubes and the remaining team members supporting and steering the tubes and stretcher.

"The groups were eager to finish first and started to overtake other groups in the water. That created a dangerous situation as groups. 

"It was probably during that commotion that the whole incident took place. Unfortunately we don't have clarity on exactly when Enoch exactly drowned because nothing is clear at this point."

Eloff adds that no roll call was done at the school prior to departing for the camp.

"On the Wednesday evening, roll call was held by the school staff, where it was realised that eight learners were unaccounted for. Unfortunately, no roll call was held at the school before the departure of the learners, so there was uncertainty amongst the school staff whether the eight absent learners were actually attending the camp at all."

Eloff reveals that only after the parents of the eight pupils unaccounted for were contacted on Thursday morning, did they realise that Mpianzi was missing.

"After the school contacted the parents of the eight unaccounted learners it became apparent on late Thursday morning that Enoch Mpianzi was missing."

Efforts to find the boy alive were in vain as Mpianzi's lifeless body was recovered in the river on Friday.

The resorts has vowed to cooperate and assist in all investigations and would provide access to its property.

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