Pupil electrocuted on school's roof

MANZINI – An 18-year-old Grade V boarder at St Joseph’s Mission was electrocuted on the roof while switching off a valve of a solar panel on Friday.

His body was only discovered on Saturday.
Following light rains on Saturday, a pupil is said to have noticed blood dripping from the roof whilst inside a box-room, normally used to store pupils’ property.

He is said to have climbed to the roof to investigate and he found Celumusa Mpondo Mhlanga    dead.
In an interview, the Boarding Master Bongani Sibandze said the pupil came to report that someone wearing pants similar to Mpondo’s was lying dead on the roof.
“We then rushed out and confirmed that it was Mpondo,” Sibandze said.
He said the valve was usually switched off when the weather was hot because the tubes attached to the solar panel break.

“After the discovery, and when experts had been called, we were informed that some electric cables had been exposed. These came in contact with the corrugated iron,” the Boarding Master said.
Mpondo’s aunt, Thandi Ginindza is also a senior matron at the school.

“I had just returned from a funeral when three boys came to report the discovery. I asked them where Mpondo was, but I did not get a clear answer. I then called his mother and asked her about the whereabouts of the child. “She said she had not seen him, but said that he might be at school. That is when I realised that the person on the roof might be my nephew,” she said.

Together with the boys, Ginindza said they went to investigate.
After it was confirmed that the person electrocuted was indeed Mpondo, Ginidza said she called the Boarding Master and Father Ciccone who had gone to town to buy boarders’ food.

She said they also called the police and Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) employees.
Police Assistant Public Relations Officer Inspector Stephen Dlamini confirmed the death was reported and said that police were still investigating.

... he was found clutching on his facecloth

MANZINI – The Grade V pupil, Celumusa Mpondo Mhlanga was found on the roof clutching on his face-cloth.
His aunt, Thandi Ginindza saidt this was an indication that Mpondo died after taking a bath.

She said Mpondo was taken to the mortuary still holding on to his face cloth. Ginindza said it was still a mystery how he could have met his death without anyone noticing on Friday.
“To reach the roof, he had to have been assisted, she said.

Ginindza pointed at some pillars situated at the entry point leading to the boys’ hostel (it houses 96 pupils) where the boys climb to reach the roof.
Ginindza said Mpondo’s friend informed them that he did not see him at school on Friday.

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