New Hoërskool Driehoek walkway opened after tragedy

The handover comes almost three months after the previous bridge collapsed, killing four pupils.

“When we have something tragic like what happened here, we find mechanisms of working together to close this particular chapter,” Lesufi said.

“I said to my colleagues this afternoon that the best way to close an old chapter and move to a new chapter is through a bridge. The mere fact that we have this bridge symbolized that were leaving the past and entering this new stage, to rebuild whatever was broken.”

The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce managed to raise approximately R2 million through a crowd fund to assist the families of the injured learners.

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The fund was created to assist families with medical bills but there have been reports that some families have not been assisted through the fund. 

Lesufi gave an assurance that the department will step in where needed.

“What has been exhausted from the crowdfunding will be supplemented by the department.

“I know there is an invoice that the department has already paid. Some bills that I know came through us and we have settled them, we will continue to settle them.

“I am saddened if legal action has been taken against parents, it must not be like that,” he added.