Staff Reporter
All public ordinary and special schools in the Western Cape will be closed on Tuesday after disaster management officials and the South African Weather Service (SAWS) recommended a province-wide shutdown because of severe weather warnings.
“In the interests of learner and teacher safety, and after extensive consultation with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and the South African Weather Service (SAWS), a decision has been taken to close all schools in the Western Cape on Tuesday, 12 May 2026,” provincial Education MEC David Maynier said on Monday.
“This includes all public ordinary and special schools in the province,” he said. “Disaster Management and SAWS have made the recommendation based on updated weather projections and current conditions.”
The province was being hit by severe storms, including heavy rain, strong winds and flooding risks.
SAWS has issued an Orange Level 8 warning for disruptive rainfall over Cape Town and mountainous parts of Drakenstein, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Witzenberg and western Theewaterskloof, with flooding of roads, bridges and settlements, mudslides and fast-flowing rivers expected through Tuesday.
Maynier said the provincial government’s default position was “always to keep schools open and only close schools in exceptional circumstances, but we are mindful of the severity of the warnings in place”.
The department would continuously monitor and evaluate the situation to ensure that schools can reopen as soon as possible, he said, adding that schools were currently expected to reopen on Wednesday, 13 May.
Maynier said that, as of 3h30 on Monday, 11 May, “a total of 227 schools applied for closure in addition to the closure list issued for the Cape Winelands and Eden and Central Karoo districts”.
“A number of schools have also suffered damage due to the storm, which is currently being assessed,” he said.
Maynier thanked officials, principals, teachers and parents “for the support in implementing school closures.”
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