aged to save his school books. Ngcingwana said she has a mammoth task of buying her son the school uniform. “I’m unemployed, and my husband also works on odd jobs. I feel sad when I look at him going to school wearing old clothes and wishing that I can buy him new school uniform,” she said. Provincial MEC for education Debbie Schafer’s spokesperson Jessica Shelver said there are 152 learners from Metro East that were affected by the Khayelitsha fire and nine learners from Kosovo. “Principals have reported that they are assisting these learners with a safe space to study as well as study materials. The district is also providing additional resources to schools as required. Our exams directorate has also confirmed that arrangements have been made for the learners who lost their identity documents in the fire to write the exams,” said Shelver. Shelver said they are heartened by the support that has been pledge by a number of schools who have appealed to their parent bodies to assist with donations of stationery, clothing, bedding and non perishable food. This is but one story in the aftermath of a tragedy that befell a community.