This is according to the principal of the school, Daniel McPherson. McPherson has expressed his gratitude to the community of Bloemfontein, the provincial government and all private companies that lent a hand and made donations to the school. During the handover of donations led by the provincial education MEC, Tate Makgoe, McPherson said he is pleased that the department heeded to their call and assisted the school. He said he is certain that the refurbishment of the hostel will be completed in due time and that all the 135 learners, who are currently accommodated at an unused building on the school premises, will soon be back at the hostel.

McPherson added that the hostel section that did not burn down, but was affected by the fire, will be demolished. This means that the project will take more than six weeks to complete (a time frame that was previously communicated by Makgoe). He alludes that they have agreed with the department that the project will now take approximately six months.

He further confirmed that the cause of the fire, that started at the hostel parents' house and spread to the hostel, remains unknown and that the possibility of arson has been ruled out by the investigators.

OFM News/Katleho Morapela, Olebogeng Motse and Sazly Hartzenberg