By Doreen Mokgolo
A learner who committed suicide at Eqinisweni Secondary in Ivory Park, Ekurhuleni, where four teenagers killed themselves in the space of a week, was seven months pregnant.
Failed relationships are believed to be the main reason behind three of the four suicides.
The four learners, Thembi Lubisi, 17, Basetsana Masilo, 16, Ananias Makwela, 18, and Thandeka Nombinja, 19, committed suicide between 26 April and 5 May.
In the first incident, Thembi, who was pregnant, was dumped by her much older boyfriend. According to her father, Elias Mathonsi, the boyfriend is the father of her one-year-old daughter.
Mathonsi said the boyfriend told Thembi that he wanted nothing more to do with her and the children.
Sharing his grief, he said a neighbour called him to the scene where one of his twin daughters had collapsed while on her way from school.
“She was very weak. At that moment I knew she would not make it. We tried to resuscitate her by splashing water on her face and forcing her to drink milk while waiting for an ambulance, but that didn’t help,” he said.
“She had taken a lot of poison as she had mixed some in a juice bottle and the rice meal from the school nutritional programme,” he said.
Mathonsi said his daughter was frustrated after her boyfriend dumped her, and the school told her that she would have to go on maternity leave.
Ananias, who is believed to have killed himself by drinking rat poison was rushed to hospital on 1 May, where he died the following day.
On Thursday 2 May, Basetsana, who was in a relationship with Ananias, was found dead at her home.
Basetsana’s mother, Debra Masilo, said she received a call at work from her daughter who was struggling to speak.
“I thought I was hearing things. I gave the phone to a friend who confirmed my worst fears,” she said.
“I immediately called neighbours to check up on her. They found Ananias’s friend, whom Ananias sent to check on her at the house. He called the neighbour to help as Basetsana was sick and not responding,” she said.
The fourth learner, Thandeka Nombinja, was found dead in her home by her brother on 4 May.
When the family went through her belongings, they found a small packet of empty blue powder. They told Scrolla.Africa they had no idea why Thandeka wanted to kill herself.
- If you are suffering from depression or are feeling suicidal, or know anyone who is experiencing mental health problems, help from trained counsellors from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group is just a free phone call away on 0800 567 567
Pictured above: Elias Mathonsi.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
