A SCHOOLBOY escaped serious injury and death when a skoolhek fell on top of him at a primary school in Macassar.
Activists have called for school infrastructure at the False Bay institute to be maintained.
Millicent Merton, spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department, said the incident took place on 23 January 2025.
She reports that the Grade 7 learner was warned not to try an open the gate and was injured before being rushed to hospital for medical treatment.
The child is currently recovering at home and the gate has since been repaired.
Merton explains: “A security officer reportedly instructed a 13-year old learner to move away from the gate.
“The learner allegedly did not adhere to the instruction and tried to open the gate which then fell on him.
“The school contacted emergency medical services and the learner’s parents immediately while he was assisted by the school’s health and safety team.
“The learner was taken to hospital via ambulance. He is reportedly doing well and recovering at home. The gate has since been fixed.”
Macassar activist Christiaan Stewart said the incident highlighted the need for infrastructure to be maintained at schools.
He says: “The fact that a large gate fell on a learner during school hours is unacceptable and raises serious concerns about the maintenance and safety protocols in place.
“The key issues are negligence, the incident suggests a lack of proper maintenance and safety checks, which is a clear case of negligence.
“Accountability, those responsible for maintaining the school's infrastructure and ensuring student safety must be held accountable for the injury.
“Record-keeping, the Department of Education should have a record of all heavy equipment, including maintenance schedules and safety inspections.”
This is the second incident at a local school where a freak accident and incident saw a learner being treated at hospital.
Last week, a Grade 1 learner was left injured after he jumped from the first-floor window of his school because had been locked inside a classroom at De Heide Primary School in Bredasdorp.
It is understood the child was hiding inside the classroom when the teacher locked the door.