Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga says she understands the anxieties, concerns and fears around Covid-19 ahead of the phased reopening of schools on 1 June.

READ: What you need to know: 9 things from Motshekga's schools reopening briefing

This comes as pupils are expected to return to school on 1 June under Level 3 of the lockdown.

For example, the National Association of Parents in School Governance, also acting on behalf of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas), has intervened in the DA's court application to oppose the lockdown regulations.

ALSO READ: Parents, Cosas join forces to stop govt's 'irrational' reopening of schools While the minister heard the concerns, she said she was of the view that schools will provide some people [specifically those in disadvantaged areas] with more structure.

When probed by a concerned pupil on the logic of closing schools when the lockdown was implemented in March with only a few cases of Covid-19, but now opening schools when the country is dealing with over 20 000 cases, the minister said: "When we declared the lockdown, we never said, as the government, that the lockdown will decrease or stop infections - it was to assist the government to flatten the curve, so that the health system could cope with infections."