Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Monday said he’d given the Graceland Education Centre until 2pm to explain why no one knew that Laticia Jansen was absent from school for three days.
Lesufi said he was shocked to learn that the school was unaware of her disappearance and found out from him that the Germiston pupil had been raped and murdered.
Her body was discovered in Elsberg on the East Rand last week after she had been left behind by scholar transport.
A dejected Lesufi said he was heartbroken by the rape and murder of Jansen.
The MEC held a private meeting with the Jansen family outside their home in Germiston, updating them about the department’s plans to get answers.
“No one could give me answers on the issues that I wanted; why the learner was not at school on Wednesday, on Thursday and Friday and the school was not aware. A parent went to the school and said she had a missing child and you don’t assist the parent.”
Lesufi has vowed to hold the school responsible if the investigation finds staff were negligent.
“We can’t continue to have these kinds of situations.”
The Jansen family has declined to speak to the media, saying they’re trying to come to terms with Laticia’s death.