A group of tavern owners emerged as the unlikely heroes for a Fumisukoma Primary School pupil, raising the R500 needed to attend her farewell at the Kelway Hotel — and to top it all, they paid for a new hairdo.

Unable to foot the bill herself, the grade 7 pupil’s 50-year-old mother had pleaded for financial assistance, knocking on doors and making numerous phone calls, until her prayers were finally answered this week...