MALAMANGWA - Ms Ndivhewafhi Madamalala (22), a Grade 12 learner at Mpfariseni Secondary School based at Malamangwa, who narrowly escaped death when the school roof collapsed on her, was discharged from the Tshilidzini Hospital last Tuesday.

Madamalala told Mirror that she was in the shack classroom with others when the roof collapsed. She said that other learners managed to escape unharmed, but she remained behind, unable to run because of shock. She said she tried to crawl underneath the roof wood and it finally collapsed “and hit me in the hips.” She lost consciousness because the next thing she knew she was in a car on the way to Tshilidzini Hospital.

“I don’t know what happened, but there was a group of boys leaning against the shack,” she said. “I never thought the shack would one-day fall.”

The school principal, Mr Thomani Chris Mphaphuli, said he was terrified by the incident, and it reminded him back in 1989 when four learners died when the truck they were on overturned when they were going to participate in sports. He confirmed there is shortage of classrooms. “Classes still take place under trees and only four classrooms are in good condition; the other six are collapsing,” Mr Mphaphuli said.

“The grade 8 class has 89 learners, squeezed in one room, and this is contributing most to the poor results at school,” he said. “There are 380 registered learners at the school and since the school started operating in 1988, there has been no development in terms of infrastructure,” Mphaphuli added.

“The matter was reported to the circuit manager, who referred the matter to the Senior District Manager, Mr Masotsha Mathivha’s office.”

The MEC for Education, Mr Aaron Motsoaledi, said the government is ready to build classrooms to reduce the shortage of classroom problems.