By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Western Cape Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of Education, David Maynier has confirmed the closure of all schools across the province.
This decision comes after thorough consultations with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) and the South African Weather Service (SAWS), driven by updated weather projections that signal severe weather conditions.
Since 4 May, flooding, thunderstorms, damaging winds and snowfall have hit large parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State and Mpumalanga.
“Our default position is always to keep schools open and only close schools in exceptional circumstances,” Maynier stated.
However, he acknowledged the gravity of the warnings currently in place, highlighting the importance of prioritising safety during adverse weather events.
At the time of the announcement, Maynier noted that a total of 227 schools had applied for closure in addition to the previously issued closure list for the Cape Winelands, Eden, and Central Karoo districts.
The escalating storm conditions have already resulted in damage to various school facilities, with assessments currently underway to gauge the extent of this impact.
Maynier expressed his gratitude to school officials, principals, teachers, and parents for their cooperation and support in implementing the school closures effectively.
He also extended heartfelt thanks to first responders, emergency services, and disaster management officials who continue to provide invaluable assistance during these challenging circumstances.
The plan is to ensure that schools can reopen as soon as conditions permit, with Wednesday, 13 May 2026, currently anticipated as the reopening date.
Meanwhile the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) officially classified the severe weather event as a National Disaster following days of relentless and severe rainfall.
Head of the National Disaster Management Centre, Bongani Elias Sithole, said the scale and severity of the weather system forced authorities to escalate the response to a national level.
Sithole said the decision followed consultations with various organs of state and provincial disaster management centres after assessing the “magnitude and severity” of the disaster affecting the country.
The declaration means government structures across all spheres are now intensifying coordinated disaster response, relief and recovery operations to assist affected communities and restore damaged infrastructure.
Funding will be directed towards infrastructure repairs and recovery efforts, although access to the funds remains subject to strict processes.
These include damage assessments, verification processes, National Treasury approvals, formal motivation submissions from municipalities and provinces, and the availability of disaster relief grants or reprioritised government funding.
The Western Cape, particularly the Garden Route region, has emerged as one of the worst-hit areas as heavy rain and flooding continue to wreak havoc across towns and transport routes.