Learning for Grade 11 and 12 learners at Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbiljpark will resume this week. Four learners were killed on Friday and scores injured when a walkway at the school collapsed.
Nineteen of the injured are still in ICU. The Department of Education has designated a section of the school so that teaching and learning can continue.
Investigations are still under way to find out the cause of the collapse.
“Next week Monday, we will have all other grades coming in. We will have temporary structures that would have been erected at that time to accommodate all other learners, but then we will also utilise some of the structures that are not prohibited for us to utilise. Counseling will also continue tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. All learners that are still outstanding that did not receive their counseling, they will then be taken through that process,” says Gauteng Education Spokesperson, Steve Mabona.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has written to the South African Human Rights Commission over Black First Land First spokesperson, Lindsay Maasdorp’s comments that celebrate the deaths of white learners at Hoërskool Driehoek.
A fourth learner has died on Saturday. Marnus Nagel is one of the 23 learners hospitalised after a walkway at the school collapsed on Friday.
Maasdorp came out in support of a comment by a Facebook user who said he did not feel anything for the learners who lost their lives. “We’ve also asked that the investigation is expedited to ensure that we can write to the IEC so they can bar the BLF from contesting the 2019 elections. We find it completely unacceptable that a group of people celebrate the death of young kids, regardless of their colour. We find it very disgusting. That is not a South Africa we want to be a part of or belong to,” says DA Youth Leader, Luyolo Mpithi.
Black First Land First says the outrage caused by the comment is misguided and being used by political parties to cast the BLF as “blood hungry”.
BLF leader Andile Mngxitama says they will hold a press briefing on Tuesday on the issue. “BLF will call a press conference tomorrow (Tuesday) where we will give a complete response and context of the tweet by the spokesperson. However we want to assure South Africans we are not a party which is blood thirsty. Our opponents always try to project us in this manner. The context we will explain tomorrow, as you will see if you look at the original tweet and the tweet that Lindsay was responding to there’s no celebration of death there. We want schools that are safe for all our children not just the white children. “
The Human Rights Commission is set to investigate hate speech against Maasdorp after the Congress of the People opened a case. The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has also condemned Maasdorp’s support of a Facebook user. Report by Jamaine Krige and Hlengiwe Mkhwanaz
