The atmosphere was filled with a heavy cloud of grief as hundreds of emotional mourners paid their last respects to the Grade 9 learner of Manaledzi High, Thendo Nedzamba (16), who committed suicide last Wednesday night. She was buried on Saturday at the Tshiozwi cemetery.

The mourners wept openly during the funeral, while many learners fainted. Last year, three learners from the same school committed suicide.

When addressing the mourners, the principal of Manaledzi High, Mr George Mathivha, described the young girl as a brave young soldier. "We only have to accept it, because we cannot change the situation. The death of a young girl is synonymous with a flowering tree that loses flowers that were expected to turn into fruit,” Mathivha said.

He said the school was forced to come on board to make sure that the young girl was buried with dignity and respect. "The death has touched our hearts," he said. Mr Mathivha said the death had left many scholars traumatised and it would take a long time for the community to recover from the shock.

The chairperson of the SANCO branch in Tshiozwi, Mr Shaft Matumba, appealed to the churches from different areas to pray to find a solution for the on-going suicides in the area. ”If young people have a problem, they should approach pastors, teachers and any person who can help them,” he said.

A family representative, Mr Sonnyboy Masuka, said they were still expecting a lot from the brilliant girl, but they had accepted what had happened "because we cannot change the situation”. Masuka thanked the community for the support displayed during the incident. "Your presence made our hearts strong. We have been battling to come to terms with this incident, but your overwhelming support has made us more confident.”