The Strandfontein community, teachers and pupils are praying for two critically injured pupils who will have emergency surgery on Friday at Red Cross Children's hospital.
Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore said there had been a perception among parents that the two injured pupils had not been attended to soon enough after the fatal bus crash in Cape Town on Thursday, but he had spoken to the head of health in the province who had confirmed that on Friday morning the two would be operated on after being stabilised on Thursday.
However, principal Shaheed Gaideen said one of the parents had been very unhappy after she saw her child lying on the bed and breathing heavily and hadn't understood why surgery hadn't taken place immediately.
Deputy principal Gavin Elliott said the community was praying for these pupils as three fatalities had been more than enough.
It was not appropriate to release the names of the around 40 pupils injured, he said, as the school was still compiling a list.
Elliott thanked parents and the community for their support, and confirmed that about 50 trauma counsellors drawn from the community would be available on Friday to pupils and parents and would continue to be available over the next weeks and months.
He also appealed for donations, as some of parents faced heavy medical expenses. He said one pupil already had a hospital bill of R25 000 after one day.
Earlier on Friday parents crowded the foyer of the school and a head count was done as pupils arrived. Parents and children were addressed by Dugmore in a neighbouring church hall. Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool sent his condolences.
The Cape Argus team spoke to several members of the community early this morning, including teachers at the school, who said the community was "heartbroken".
Anna and "Oompie" Johnson, who lost their only daughter, Angelique, 12, in the tragedy were too traumatised to speak, but handed us a picture of "Angie".
A neighbour described her as "everybody's child". She always had a smile on her face and enjoyed her life.
"I believe that she's an angel now," she said.