Eight-year-old poisoning victim to be honoured, FS Premier says

An eight-year-old pupil who mysteriously died after allegedly eating a poisoned candy bar at her Bloemfontein school last week, will be honoured with an administration block under her name at her school.

This was revealed by Free State premier Sisi Ntombela when she visited Tsholetsang Primary School and Relebohile Mokgadi's home in Caleb Motshabi township yesterday.

Relebohile, a grade 1 pupil, fell ill and died at Pelonomi Hospital a few hours after allegedly eating a poisoned candy bar brought to school by another pupil. Six other pupils allegedly shared the candy bar with also fell ill and were rushed to hospital.

Four of the pupils have since been discharged from the hospital early this week.

The fifth pupil is still at the hospital. It's still unclear where the candy bar came from but it is believed it was brought to school by another pupil who, out of her generosity, shared it with other seven pupils - including Relebohile.

Ntombela said it would make sense to honour the pupil with the administrative block.

"We are particularly saddened how Relebohile died and seeing that the school has no administrative block, it would be proper to build the school a block and name it after her so that she would be remembered for a long time to come," Ntombela said.

The premier added that relevant authorities, including police, are currently busy with the investigations on the matter.

Ntombela also committed to assist the family with burial costs. She said the state of the shack the family lived in was of great concern, saying her office would engage the human settlements department to help.

Relebohile's mother Sebueng Mokgadi said they had been battling to make ends meet and everyone in the family were cramped in the one-room shack.

Mokgadi said she was uncertain how she was going to bury her child, whose burial is planned for tomorrow.

"I still don't believe my child is no more; we don't want to blame anyone until police finish their investigation," the unemployed mother said.