South Africa: Family Asks for Victim's Suicide Note to Be Read to School Bullies

1 February 2023

The family of a Creighton teenager, who committed suicide after being bullied about her looks at school, want her suicide note to be read out during her school memorial service.

This is after Andiswa Chiya, a grade 9 pupil at Sonyongane High School in Creighton, ended her own life on Friday morning as other pupils were getting ready for school.

Her grandmother, Jabulile Motaung, said the family was still traumatised by Andiswa's death.

Motaung said the family wished for her suicide note to be read out during her school memorial service.

"We wish for it to be known why Andiswa took such a decision and we want for the other kids to understand how serious the issue of bullying really is," Motaung told Scrolla.Africa.

In the note, Andiswa complained of not being welcome in the world. She wrote that other pupils who also lived in her area didn't like the way she looked and would ask her what kind of girl she was to look the way she did.

"The sad thing is that some of these kids grew up with her but were now treating her this way. We wish she could have opened up about this," said Motaung.

A reserved and quiet child, 16-year-old Andiswa was known to be an excellent and intelligent student with dreams of one day becoming a doctor.

"She was a quiet child who was always quick to apologise if she had done something wrong. She was the kind of child who would always get everything done the way you asked her to get them done.

"She was not a troublesome child. We are really hurting as a family because of her death," Motaung said.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza urged parents to talk to teenagers about their mental health.

Mthobisi Dlamini, the councillor of the area said he was meeting with the school in an effort to come up with a programme to assist in fighting the scourge of bullying in the school.

KZN police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo confirmed that the police were investigating an inquest docket after the teenager's suicide incident.

Pictured above: Andiswa Chiya, who ended her life after being bullied at school

Image source: Supplied

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