Learners and educators of Milton Mpfumedzeni High School in Lukalo village, outside Thohoyandou, were greeted by a horrible and unusual sight on Friday morning. They watched helplessly in disbelief as their two classrooms and a staff room went up in flames, turning their much awaited school day into sorrow.

The vicious fire caused damage estimated at R1,5 million. To rub more salt in the wound, the school, which has 910 learners, is experiencing a massive shortage of classrooms, with more than 300 learners still learning under trees.

The visibly shocked school principal, Mr. Nelson Rokho, said the fire started at about 03:00 on Friday morning. He suspects the fire might have been caused by an arsonist but police investigations are continuing.

He painfully explains: "I received a call at about 04:00 that the school was on fire. I rushed there and I nearly fainted when I saw the flames mercilessly devouring our property that we had worked hard for. I then called the emergency workers, who rushed to scene. It took them about four hours to extinguish the fire because it was very fierce. They did a wonderful job because, otherwise, the fire could have destroyed the whole school. The fire had consumed the roof and broken windowpanes and the remaining testimony is the debris of burnt out books and educational material, including the frames of the destroyed desks."

Rokho says the fire destroyed countless books for both teachers and learners, more than 50 desks, 12 tables, 30 chairs, a TV set, a video machine and three computers.

One of the grade 12 learners at the school, Nthambeleni Tshikukuvhe, said he spent a night at the school on the day of the incident. "I was busy studying in the early hours of Friday morning when I heard some footsteps around the school yard. I did not take it seriously at first, but I became suspicious when I smelled smoke. I could not believe my eyes when I went out to investigate and found that the school was on fire. I then called the principal who then summoned the police and fire fighters."

Supt Ailwei Mushavhanadi of the Limpopo police confirmed the incident. "We are investigating a case of arson following the incident. For now, we cannot exactly say what caused the fire but we request community members who might know something to contact us."