Thandolwethu Moagi, a grade 12 pupil, passed away at J Dumane Clinic in Vosloorus after reporting a severe headache.
COMMUNITY shocked by teen’s sudden death.
The Vosloorus community in Ekurhuleni is in shock after 17-year-old Thandolwethu Moagi tragically passed away at Vosloorus Comprehensive Secondary School.
The grade 12 pupil, who dreamt of studying medicine after matric, fell critically ill at school and her sudden death has raised serious questions about how schools respond when pupils fall ill.
Her older brother, Tony Moagi described the horrifying moment he found his sister in distress.
“When I arrived at the school, a pupil told me she was in the office. When I got there, I was faced with the worst sight of my life.
“My sister had white foam coming from her mouth. She couldn’t speak and was struggling to breathe. I picked her up and rushed her into the e-hailing car I had come in and we drove straight to J Dumane Clinic,” he said.
Tony Moagi recalled the terrifying moment he found his younger sister, Thandolwethu in distress at school. Photo by Happy Mnguni
On the way, Tony tried to reassure Thandolwethu.
“I told her she’d be fine and she nodded to show she understood. At the clinic, doctors and nurses rushed her to the emergency ward. They tried their best, even using an oxygen tank to help her breathe.”
Tragically, Tony was at home handling some of Thandolwethu’s belongings when he received devastating news.
“She passed away just a few minutes after I left. I’m still in shock. It’s so hard to come to terms with her death,” he said.
Classmates recalled the chilling moments before Thandolwethu collapsed.
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“She was fine earlier, but towards the end of school, she said her body felt hot. We took her outside for fresh air and even tried unbuttoning her shirt to help,” one pupil said.
The students said the school’s response was shocking.
“We took her to the office, but no one attended to her. We called her mother ourselves. The school told us to return to class. We thought she’d be okay,” the pupil added.
Another classmate recalled Thandolwethu’s struggle.
“She struggled to swallow her saliva. We asked staff to call an ambulance, but one staff member said they couldn’t do anything without a parent present. That was inappropriate. We only wanted her to get help,” the pupil said.
Nhlanhla Sithole, Vosloorus Cosas branch convener, has called for accountability following the death of grade 12 pupil Thandolwethu Moagi. Photo by Happy Mnguni
Nhlanhla Sithole, Vosloorus branch convener of the Congress of South African Students, demanded accountability.
“The issues surrounding Thandolwethu’s death need a unified effort from the community. I strongly believe the school staff could have done more to save her life. The principal and staff must take accountability and explain why her condition wasn’t treated urgently,” he said.
date:2026-02-13 10:21:00