The Gauteng Department of Education has announced it will conduct its own inquiry into the death of a 10-year-old Grade 5 learner from Reagile Primary School in the Winnie Mandela area of Tembisa.
The boy was killed on Monday when a goalpost reportedly fell on him while he was playing on the school’s soccer field.
Preliminary reports indicate the incident occurred during the second break.
Emergency services were called to the scene and arrived within about 20 minutes, where paramedics attempted to resuscitate the child. Despite their efforts, he was declared dead.
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that police have opened an inquest docket and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He said the department would run a parallel probe to determine what happened and whether any safety measures were lacking.
“We felt that as a department, parallel to the police investigation, we will also conduct our own inquiry,” Mabona said.
The department is expected to assess safety protocols and infrastructure at the school as part of the process, while offering support to the learner’s family and the broader school community.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about the safety of sports equipment on school grounds, with officials under pressure to ensure that playgrounds remain places of play not peril.