Rhinos threaten pupils

2003-02-10 19:12

Sibanengi Dube

Johannesburg - For the love of education, pupils at a Vaalwater farm school have to duck and dive to escape charging rhinos every day.

Hundreds of pupils of Kwalata school in Limpopo daily brave the rhino-infested farm on their way to school.

A teacher at the school said several pupils were injured every day as they climbed trees to get away from the rhinos.

"Whenever a rhino chases them, they climb trees and every day we receive reports of our pupils falling from trees," said the teacher.

The concerned teacher said it was only by the grace of God that none of their pupils have been killed by a rhino.

"But I do not think we will continue to be so lucky, because the situation is dangerous. I hope that something will be done if Daily Sun exposes the situation," said the teacher.

He said the farm owner, Botes van der Merwe, who used to provide transport to pupils, has stopped offering the service.

"I do not know why he stopped, but yesterday one of our students narrowly escaped death as he was going to school. Fortunately he jumped up and climbed on to the branch of a tree and forced his way up through the branches.

"Just imagine if he was not able to climb a tree. Some other pupils were watching from a distance as he stared death in the face," said the teacher.

Head of Dorset police station, inspector William Mpete, confirmed the dangerous conditions pupils were being exposed to.

Mpete told Daily Sun that he had requested a meeting with Van der Merwe to discuss the safety of the pupils on his farm.

Van der Merwe was not in his office when Daily Sun tried to contact him for comment. - Daily Sun

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