The North West Department of Social Development has stepped up psychosocial support for the family and school community following the alleged killing of an 18-year-old Grade 12 learner in Luka, near Rustenburg.
The learner was last seen on the evening of 24 September after making a short visit to her cousin. When she failed to return home, her family initially believed that she may have spent the night with her cousin.
Her body was later discovered in an abandoned house nearby, leaving her family and the Luka community devastated.
The department is concerned about the impact of the tragedy on the learner’s classmates, who are preparing for their final assessments while mourning the loss of their friend.
North West MEC for Social Development Basetsana Sussana Dantjie has directed social workers to continue providing psychosocial support to the family and extend counselling services to affected learners.
Dantjie said the department would also work with funded Victim Empowerment Centres to ensure that support reaches more learners and members of the school community.
The department has also stressed the importance of ensuring that the family and learners do not have to deal with the trauma alone.
