A primary school pupil has died and more than 100 others received treatment after they fell ill when they returned from a school trip.

Pupils at Masungi Primary School in Bungeni village near Elim started complaining of abdominal pains after a trip to Polokwane, Limpopo, on August 24.

One of the pupils, Msimeko Mthombeni, 7, died after being admitted at the village clinic.

He had suffered from stomach cramps and vomited severely when he was taken to the Bungeni health centre. He died on Wednesday last week.

Though he only fell ill three days after returning from the trip, Msimeko was among a group of pupils who undertook the excursion to the provincial capital.

At least 123 pupils from the school fell ill after complaining of pains, others vomiting. They were treated for various illnesses, the cause of which is a subject of investigation by health professionals.

Sowetan has established that there are other children in the village who do not attend the same school but appear to have similar symptoms.

Collen Mashimbye, the deputy chairperson of the SGB at the school, denied that the illness that caused the boy's death arose from the trip.

"The first pupil to fall ill started on Monday, three days after they returned from the trip," said Mashimbye.

"We refuse to link the illness with the trip," he said.

Mashimbye said the pupils brought their own food from their respective homes.

Msimeko's grandmother, Francinah Maswanganyi, said: "I was surprised by the mysterious illness. He never complained of having eaten anything bad."

She said at the clinic the boy had a drip inserted in his arm and oxygen was supplied to enable him to breathe.

According to Maswanganyi, the boy was checked for malaria and other illnesses but none was detected.

"Seeing him die in my arms will haunt me for the rest of my life. I feel like I was responsible," she said while struggling to contain herself.

Provincial department of health spokesman Neil Shikwambana said they were conducting tests to determine what caused the disease.

"It would be premature for us to declare an outbreak.

"However, we regret the death of the pupil and send condolences to the bereaved family," Shikwambana said.