New bus boosts Vryburger High School’s transport needs
The new bus will ease the school’s transport costs while providing learners with reliable transport for sports, excursions and other activities.
Hoërskool Vryburger High School officially unveiled a new 24-seater Iveco school bus generously donated by heavy-lift and transport company Vanguard.
The new vehicle will serve to transport learners and staff to academic excursions, events, and away sports matches.
The official handover ceremony was attended by Bryan Hodgkinson, director of Vanguard, along with Marina Constas, chairperson of Better Bedfordview, and Frank and Carol Payne, also representing Better Bedfordview.
Hodgkinson noted that the partnership was sparked by Constas, who has long supported initiatives at the school.
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“She introduced me to the school and mentioned they needed support,” said Hodgkinson.
“Vanguard has operated in the Cleveland area for 53 years, and most of our staff come from the local communities. So it was natural to support a school serving our local children. It is disappointing when large corporates don’t get involved locally. Private contributions are what keep schools like this going,” said Hodgkinson.
Constas praised the school’s leadership and spirit, describing Vryburger as a ‘school of hope’ that balances academic dedication with strong athletic performance.
“Whenever we visited, we saw their old bus, and Carol was persistent about helping,” Constas explained.
“I brought it up to Bryan, and after a few meetings, we made it happen.”
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Constas highlighted that learners from various local schools actively participate in community clean-up initiatives through the Community Hours project, which connects over 10,000 learners to local volunteer work.
“There is something special about Vryburger. The ethos, behaviour, and respect shown by the learners start directly from the leadership,” she added.
Highlighting the financial realities facing public schools, school representative Bafana Moyo explained that state grant funding covers only a fraction of running costs.
“A school like ours receives around R240,000 in grant funding for the entire year, yet our monthly municipal rates and taxes alone can exceed R100,000,” said Moyo.
“We rely heavily on school fees and private donations, but we face constant shortfalls as many of our learners are on fee subsidies.”
Moyo expressed deep gratitude to Vanguard and Better Bedfordview, who also help maintain the school’s gardens.
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“The bus has already saved the school thousands of rands,” Moyo said.
“Vanguard’s generosity is an investment in the journeys, opportunities, and futures of our learners, enabling them to travel further, dream bigger, and embrace opportunities that will shape their lives,” said Moyo.
