Relatives of dead pupil want principal ousted

RELATIVES of Olivia Mondjila Matheus (17), who died last week after she jumped off a moving vehicle driven by her school principal, held a peaceful demonstration at Endola on Friday to demand that the principal of Shituwa JSS, Gotfried Ndumba, be removed.

Olivia, a pupil at Shituwa Junior Secondary School at Endola, and her friend Hilaria Wilhelm did not want to go to Oshakati and both jumped from the vehicle. Hilaria sustained injuries but managed to get home where she told her family about the events.Ndumba allegedly did not stop after the incident.The principal has appeared in the Magistrates’ Court on a number of charges, including manslaughter and failing to stop after an accident.The demonstrating relatives headed to the office of the Inspector of Schools for the Endola Circuit carrying placards that read: ‘We need our Olivia back’, and ‘We are asking this the Principal Ndumba’, ‘Sorry we want our sister Olivia, please we don’t want you to be here anymore’.Both the relatives and pupils from Shituwa JSS handed in their petition to an official at the office.They said that Olivia’s family were sick to their stomachs about the incident.On the march, the crowd sang:”We are asking Ndumba where Olivia is, please give us an answer, we are crying, asking where Olivia is.Ndumba give us an answer where Olivia is.”The angry relatives also demanded to see Ndumba face to face.The mother of the late Olivia, Martha Shingudi, was among the demonstrators.The petition was read by Paulus Simon, the late Olivia`s brother.Olivia Matheus was buried at her home village of Omakango.She is survived by her mother Shingudi and eight brothers and sisters.Hilaria sustained injuries but managed to get home where she told her family about the events.Ndumba allegedly did not stop after the incident.The principal has appeared in the Magistrates’ Court on a number of charges, including manslaughter and failing to stop after an accident.The demonstrating relatives headed to the office of the Inspector of Schools for the Endola Circuit carrying placards that read: ‘We need our Olivia back’, and ‘We are asking this the Principal Ndumba’, ‘Sorry we want our sister Olivia, please we don’t want you to be here anymore’.Both the relatives and pupils from Shituwa JSS handed in their petition to an official at the office.They said that Olivia’s family were sick to their stomachs about the incident.On the march, the crowd sang:”We are asking Ndumba where Olivia is, please give us an answer, we are crying, asking where Olivia is.Ndumba give us an answer where Olivia is.”The angry relatives also demanded to see Ndumba face to face.The mother of the late Olivia, Martha Shingudi, was among the demonstrators.The petition was read by Paulus Simon, the late Olivia`s brother.Olivia Matheus was buried at her home village of Omakango.She is survived by her mother Shingudi and eight brothers and sisters.