Severe weather conditions have forced the temporary closure of dozens of schools in the Western Cape, as authorities respond to warnings of heavy rainfall and potential flooding.
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier confirmed that schools in parts of the Eden and Central Karoo Education District will be closed.
The schools are closed on Wednesday, 6 May, and Thursday, 7 May 2026, following consultations with disaster management officials and weather authorities.
“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 schools in certain areas,” he said.
The closures affect all public ordinary and special needs schools in specific circuits identified as high risk due to the severe rainfall warnings.
These include Circuits 3 and 8 in George, Circuit 4 in Knysna, and Circuits 5 and 6 in Oudtshoorn.
According to Maynier, affected schools have already received official communication from the department and have been instructed to inform parents of the closures.
“All other schools in the Western Cape will be open unless approval has been granted for closure, which will be done on a case-by-case basis,” he said.
The department stressed that its default position is always to keep schools open and only close schools in exceptional circumstances, but noted that the severity of the current weather warnings necessitated precautionary action.
Authorities will continue to monitor conditions closely in the coming days, with the aim of reopening schools as soon as it is safe to do so.
“We will continuously monitor and evaluate the situation to ensure that schools can reopen as soon as possible,” Maynier said.
At this stage, all schools are expected to reopen on Friday, 8 May. However, this is subject to change depending on weather conditions later in the week.
“We will, however, evaluate the weather prediction for the end of the week to determine whether any individual school closures are necessary for the remainder of the week,” Maynier added.
A full list of the schools can be viewed below.
Severe weather warnings issued
These closures come after the SAWS issued a level 8 severe storm warning for parts of the country, which included the Western Cape.
On Tuesday, 5 May, the weather service noted that the most serious conditions are expected in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal, where disaster response teams have been placed on high alert.
The situation has escalated further along the coast, with the Garden Route expected to bear the brunt of the storm.
“Severe impacts are possible over the eastern parts of the Garden Route (including George, Knysna, Bitou, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn) with an Orange Level 8 Warning for disruptive rainfall in effect,” SAWS said.
Such rainfall volumes significantly increase the risk of flooding, particularly in low-lying, vulnerable areas.
SAWS warned that impacts could include flooding of roads, formal and informal settlements, which may lead to damage to property and infrastructure.
It added that some communities could become temporarily inaccessible, while major roads may be flooded or damaged, causing travel delays and disruptions.
The risk of mudslides and rockfalls is also elevated, especially along mountainous routes.
Authorities have cautioned that infrastructure damage, livelihood losses, and livestock harm are possible outcomes if conditions worsen.
SAWS has urged the public to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures. “Listen for regular weather updates via radio and/or social media. Postpone travel arrangements until it is safer to travel,” it said.
“Avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams. Monitor the weather conditions and if need be, identify areas to safely store valuable items from flood water,” it said.
