Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has reiterated a call for spiritual leaders to intervene as more pupils have been reported dead.

Within a week, seven pupils have died in tragic circumstances taking the total deaths to 10 this year.

The department said a 17-year-old female matric pupil from Oosrand Secondary School was allegedly assaulted by passengers in a taxi on Saturday. She subsequently jumped from the moving vehicle in Germiston, and died on the scene.

“The school community was informed of this unfortunate incident. The principal, together with the school management team, visited the bereaved family at Ramaphosa informal settlement  to convey sincere condolences and offer necessary support,” said Steve Mabona, education department spokesperson.

Meanwhile, an eight-year-old pupil from Durban Deep Primary was swept away by flash floods at the Princess informal settlement in Roodepoort on Saturday. The pupil drowned.

“We will not get tired to seek necessary divine intervention, and we are hopeful spiritual leaders will guide us accordingly. Sadly, these two deaths bring us to 10 deaths reported since we opened schools for the 2020 academic year,” said Lesufi.

The department has dispatched officials from the psycho-social unit to render counselling services at schools and to the bereaved families.