10 Apr 2016

Mourners this Sunday laid to rest Olebogeng Ngakayagae, the ninth casualty in the tragic Matsha Senior Secondary School truck accident that occurred near Dutlwe last year November.

The 21-year-old Ngakayagae succumbed to head injuries he sustained during the accident after spending five months under medical care.

Delivering a message of condolence from President Lt. Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama at the funeral, the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Unity Dow said the deceased departed when his family was still expecting a lot from him, especially that he was already advanced in his academic career. 

The message described the loss of Ngakayagae as a chapter that cannot be described in words, and assured the family of government support in their time of need.

Meanwhile, Dr Dow promised that allegations of negligence at the Princess Marina Hospital private ward will be investigated, and that it was government’s expectation that all those who were assigned the care of the victims should have done so with due care and diligence.

She was responding after the deceased’s father, Mr Ketlhobogilwe Dikole had raised allegations of negligence by the hospital staff at Princess Marina’s private ward where his son was hospitalised most of the time.

He said he was convinced that with due and diligent care, the child would still be alive; he accused the carers of not heeding the family’s advice and wish for their son to be left in the Intensive Care Unit despite signs of progress.

The family’s argument was that the patient’s condition would always deteriorate as soon as he had been taken out of the ICU.

Former teacher, Mr Given Selato described the deceased as an obedient child who was always ready to listen to his mentors’ advice.

“Throughout his stay at Matsha College, never once were his parents summoned to school for his misconduct,” he said, adding that the deceased was one of the students he was hopeful to see making a better future for themselves.

The area Member of Parliament, Mr Ngaka Ngaka applauded the nation for upholding botho and desisting from negative comments especially in the social media, something he said should continue into the future. Ends