16-year-old girl commits suicide after being bullied and accused of witchcraft by classmates

“I want to be done; I feel so empty, I want to die and rest in peace so that I can be free.”

This is the last sentence of Lathitha Nako, a 16-year-old South African female student who committed suicide.

10th-grade student of Bhisho High School’s committed suicide after being bullied by her classmates for possessing spiritual gifts.

Lathitha reportedly committed suicide in Eastern Cape on Wednesday, November 17.

Before her death, she talked publicly about the bullying she suffered on social media platforms and how she was contemplating suicide.

In the voice message to her friend and a message to her cousin obtained by the local media, Lathitha expressed the pain of being mocked in front of her classmates after failing the exam and accused of witchcraft by other students.

Then she told her friend that she was tired of fighting.

Her devastated family members demand that the school’s bullying problem must be addressed to prevent similar tragedies.

Narcissa wants to be a doctor. Her family had high hopes, but it was dashed by this tragedy.

Kholeka Nako’s mother said: “My heart is sore because l will never see Lathitha again l will only see her in pictures. My heart will remain sore Bisho High School has failed. I struggle to sleep.”

Calls from all quarters are being made to get to the bottom of the matter.

Petros Majola of the Khula Community Development Project stated that a plan is needed to stop bullying in schools.

“Let us sit down and develop a program that deals with bullying at schools. We are aware that they do have their policies but at the same time we are not sure that they are vocal about these policies.”

The Provincial Department of Education is also investigating the circumstances that led to her suicide.

Vuyiseka Mboxela, a spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Education, said an urgent investigation is ongoing. “There must be an urgent investigation tomorrow there is a meeting which is going to look holistic into this learner which is then going to give a directive and there is a multidisciplinary committee because there are other people outside the department who interested in this matter,” Mboxela said.