The principal position at Laerskool Kragbron has officially been filled after the former principal, Gerhard Smit, left the school.

Herman van Tonder has commenced his duties as of April 1 at Kragbron after being appointed as the school’s new principal.

Taking over from deputy principals Jan Viljoen and Elmari Viljoen, who acted as interim principals in 2024 and 2025, respectively, the passionate principal expressed his excitement about the new role.

“I’m very excited about this new role as Kragbron is a very good and reputable school in town and the Mpumalanga province at large,” he said.
With the background he has in education, the new principal said he brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Interestingly, teaching seems to run through his veins, as he was born and raised by parents who were also teachers – his late father even proceeded to become a principal at a school in Middelburg in the past years.

“I believe it’s my calling to work with people and get the best out of them, and I also love being hands-on and working closely with staff and learners to achieve our goals,” Mr Van Tonder said.

Before his appointment at Kragbron, the new principal said he served as deputy principal at Laerskool Taalfees, where he instilled discipline among learners and supervised staff members.

Mr Van Tonder also performed basic duties as deputy principal, which included various administrative tasks such as maintaining the school’s website, as he strongly believes in being hands-on and working on the ground to stay updated on everything that is happening within the school.

The passionate educator expressed his gratitude and readiness to take on this new role. He said he looks forward to learning the school’s culture and working closely with staff members to achieve common goals for the school.

“I aim to get the school to a good place and maintain what is working well, identifying areas for improvement in the process,” Mr Van Tonder said.

“I believe in getting the best out of my staff and ensuring that they are passionate about what they do so that they can also be able to get the best out of our learners,” he added.

The School Governing Body (SGB) welcomed the new principal’s appointment with excitement and anticipation, “We expect Mr Van Tonder to provide strong leadership, communicate effectively, and focus on the well-being and academic success of our learners,” the SGB said.

Adding that they hope he will work closely with them and ensure an inclusive environment where all stakeholders are involved in shaping the school’s future.

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