More than 300 Mandeni disabled pupils have been unable to attend school since a devastating fire late last month.

Ethel Mthiyane Special School in Sundumbili was forced to close its doors after the fire destroyed three classrooms and damaged five buses on September 22. The cause of the blaze is believed to have been an electrical fault.

While the three burnt classrooms housed around 70 of the pupils, the b31uses have also proved a major issue, stranding the majority of the schoolkids who rely on them for daily transport.

“Ideally, one would think we could move the affected learners to the school hall,” said school principal, Samkelisiwe Mdunge.

“However, our hall was already turned into a classroom for children with autism, as they need more space and cannot be kept with other pupils.”

While the education department has started the process of repairing the damaged buses, nothing has been done to rebuild the classrooms. The school’s feeding programme has also been paused because of damage to the cooking equipment.

Ethel Mthiyane is the only school that caters to children with intellectual disabilities in Mandeni. It provides not just education but also life skills and sports development opportunities for pupils who depend entirely on its facilities.

To help the school, you can contact Mdunge at 084 665 7866

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