Everson Luhanga and Sibonelo Zwane
Teenagers Senetlahla and Tiro grew up on different sides of Johannesburg. They didn’t know one another but their stories are remarkably similar.
They were both the victims of relentless bullying at school. Both were failed by those charged with protecting them, and this month they both took their own lives.
When it was his turn to present his speech in class last Friday, a teacher allegedly addressed 15-year-old Tiro Moalusi as “sis, bhuti,” – meaning brother, sister – because he is openly gay.
The class at PJ Simelane High School in Dobsonville burst into laughter. After the lesson Tiro tried to report the matter to other teachers, but they all shrugged it off.
The family spokesperson Palesa Phuthagang said that when he returned home that evening, he was inconsolable.
“He was crying when he told his aunt that his teacher had humiliated him in front of his peers and it was not the first time,” she said.
“He sought refuge in other teachers hoping that they would address the issue. Instead no one paid attention to him which broke his heart further.”
On the following Tuesday Tiro’s family discovered his body. He had ingested rat poison and passed away in his bedroom.
11 days earlier on 12 August, 14-year-old Senetlahla Mdeyide, a learner at Pholosho Secondary School 30 kilometres away in Alexandra, suffered the same fate.
Before swallowing the poison, Senetlahla penned a two-page letter addressed to her mother. In it, she described being brutally beaten and bullied at the hands of other pupils.
The reason for the bullying is unclear. Her mother Sindisiwe Mdeyide says she believes the children took against something Senetlahla wrote on Facebook, but denies that her daughter ever used the social media platform.
Like Tiro, Senetlahla tried to get help from her teachers. But just as in Tiro’s case, they only made things worse.
Sindisiwe claims that three days before taking her own life Senetlahla went to a teacher for help.
However, she alleges that he told her “ke wena wa Facebook, nkabe ba go rage” – Sepedi for:
“Are you the one who posted on Facebook? They should’ve kicked you.”
Sindisiwe believes the teacher’s words were the last straw, and she died in the early hours of Friday morning.
“Mom I love you and thank you for raising me,” read part of her suicide note.
The family doesn’t have enough money to transport her body to the Eastern Cape for burial. The family is asking for any donations that would help to take Senetlahla’s body to the Eastern Cape for burial.
Tiro meanwhile will be laid to rest on Thursday.
“Tiro was a bubbly, loving, and outgoing boy. I believe what the incident did to him really tore him apart,” said Palesa.
But for his family, the ordeal is far from over. The Gauteng Education Department’s Steve Mabona said they’ve launched an investigation into his death.
“We have since launched an investigation into the allegations against the educator and necessary action will be taken thereafter.”
