- Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirms school closures due to severe weather.
- Schools in Metro Central, Metro East, Metro North, Metro South, Cape Winelands, Overberg, and parts of West Coast districts will be closed.
- The closures are due to upgraded weather warnings for Level 8 disruptive rains.
- Schools are expected to reopen on Friday, 12 July 2024, pending weather conditions.
Schools in several Western Cape districts will be closed on Thursday, 11 July 2024, due to severe weather warnings.
WCED schools that will be closed on Thursday, 11 July 2024
In a statement, the department confirmed the decision was made after extensive consultations with the Provincial Disaster Risk Management Centre and the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
The affected districts include:
- Metro Central Education District: Covers central Cape Town, including areas like the CBD, Gardens, Green Point, Sea Point, Woodstock, and Observatory.
- Metro East Education District: Includes areas such as Khayelitsha, Blue Downs, Kuils River, and Strand.
- Metro North Education District: Encompasses northern suburbs like Bellville, Durbanville, Goodwood, Parow, and Brackenfell.
- Metro South Education District: Covers southern suburbs including Wynberg, Plumstead, Ottery, Retreat, and Grassy Park.
- Cape Winelands Education District: Encompasses towns like Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Worcester, and Robertson.
- Overberg Education District: Includes areas such as Hermanus, Caledon, Bredasdorp, and Swellendam.
- Circuit 1 and 2 of the West Coast Education District: Covers areas like Malmesbury, Piketberg, Darling, and Riebeek-Kasteel.
While the WCED has announced the closure of schools in several districts, other schools in the remaining districts will remain open unless approval has been granted for closure on a case-by-case basis.
To date, 20 schools have been granted permission for closure across the province, mainly in the Cape Winelands district.
All schools are expected to reopen on Friday, 12 July 2024, but the WCED will continue to monitor the weather conditions and provide updates if further closures are necessary.
Cape Town weather warnings upgraded to Level 8 disruptive rains
SAWS has upgraded the weather warnings for Cape Town and surrounding areas to Level 8 disruptive rains for Thursday, 11 July 2024.
This upgrade signifies the potential for significant flooding, damage to infrastructure, and disruptions to daily activities.
So far, 137 schools have reported damage due to the ongoing extreme weather, with 49 cases requiring urgent attention.
The majority of these incidents involve minor damages, but the severity of the weather has prompted the need for preemptive measures.
Minister David Maynier, the Western Cape Minister of Education, expressed his concern over the situation and the need to prioritise safety.
“Our default position is always to keep schools open, but we must be mindful of the severity of the warnings and the damage already caused in certain areas,” said Maynier.
The department’s infrastructure team is working rapidly to address the reported damages and ensure the structural safety of school buildings.