NGOVHELA – Strict measures have been put in place at Konanani Primary School, following the alleged poisoning of an 8-year-old boy by his father on the school premises.

Milson Khangale (34) was arrested after he visited the school and allegedly gave his son, Vhashu Khangale 250ml juice and yoghurt that allegedly caused the son and his other six friends to vomit, while suffering from stomach pains after they shared the drinks during break time.

Five of the children, between the ages of 6 and 8 were admitted at Tshilidzini Hospital, while the other two were only treated and released the same day. The school principal, Mrs Nyambeni Sigwavhulimu, confirmed that Khangale visited the school at about 11:10 and requested to see his son. She also confirmed that the children started experiencing problems immediately after break, after they shared the drinks.

Sigwavhulimu said the school management, together with the school governing body, has resolved not to allow anybody, including parents to give food to their children at school.

Vhashu's mother Mpho Bongwe (31) said she was still shocked about the incident. Bongwe, a self-employed woman who works as a street vendor in Thohoyandou, said her mother phoned her on Tuesday, a day before her maintenance case hearing case against Bongwe, informing her that her son was admitted at Tshilidzini hospital together with other four kids.

"When I arrived there I was shocked to find my son and the four kids lying motionless in beds. Other children were unable to talk, except my son who told me that they started vomiting while suffering from stomach pains, after they drank juice and yoghurt provided by his father," said Bongwe.

The acting superintendent of the hospital Dr Armando Sanchez confirmed that the five children were admitted on Tuesday. Two of them were discharged on Wednesday while three were discharged on Thursday.

The other two were only treated on Wednesday and discharged the same day. Dr Sanchez said he could not confirm if the kids were given poison or not. He said the kids were suffering from gastroenteritis, a disease that can cause vomiting, abdominal pains and diarrhoea.

"I must also add that, gastroenteritis can be caused by many things. It can be poison, intestinal parasites and other causes. So in this case, I can't confirm if it was a poison until we get the results of the blood samples we took," said Sanchez. Khangale, also self-employed and a volunteer at Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment, was arrested the same Tuesday and charged with multiple attempted murder.

He appeared briefly in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court and was denied bail. The case was postponed to June 5.