Assaulted Mpumalanga pupil dies

Johannesburg - A Grade 12 pupil has died after sustaining injuries during an alleged assault at a school in Mbombela, in Mpumalanga, the provincial education department said on Monday.

The 19-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted on Friday. She was then taken to hospital and subsequently died, spokesperson Jasper Zwane said in a statement.

Zwane said there were allegations the pupil was assaulted by the owner of the independent school, but he could not confirm this.

Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said an inquest was opened. Post-mortem results would confirm if she was assaulted, and whether the assault was the cause of her death, he said.

The department would also investigate the matter.

It would advise the head of department on possible action to be taken in withdrawing the school's registration and subsidies which were gazetted on 5 March 2013, Zwane said.