Western Cape schools to remain closed on Tuesday after relentless storms
The Western Cape Education Department announced on Monday afternoon that all schools in the province will stay shut on Tuesday, 12 May, as severe weather continues to batter the region with heavy rain, flooding and damaging winds.
The decision follows a day in which dozens of schools in the Cape Winelands, Eden and Central Karoo districts were already forced to close because of inundated roads, unsafe bridges and storm‑related damage to infrastructure. Learner transport services in the affected areas were also suspended.
The province has been under a prolonged severe weather event since the beginning of May. Initial closures were issued on 6 and 7 May for schools in parts of the Garden Route and the Karoo after the South African Weather Service warned of intense rainfall. A new weather system moved in on Monday, prompting the Education MEC David Maynier to order a province‑wide shutdown. All public ordinary and special‑needs schools in Circuits 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Cape Winelands district – covering Worcester, Ceres, Rawsonville, Tulbagh and the Hex River Valley – were ordered to close. An additional 11 schools in the Eden and Central Karoo districts remained inaccessible due to ongoing storm damage.
The South African Weather Service has issued a Level 8 warning for disruptive rainfall and flooding across a wide swathe of the Western Cape, including the City of Cape Town and surrounding municipalities. Forecasts indicate that some mountainous areas could receive between 200 mm and 300 mm of rain, while wind gusts of up to 120 km/h are expected in parts of the Cape Winelands and Central Karoo. These conditions have rendered many roads impassable and raised concerns about the safety of students and staff.
The school closures come after the national government formally declared a disaster in response to the weather emergency. The Department of Cooperative Governance reported multiple deaths, extensive damage to infrastructure and disruptions to essential services in several provinces since 4 May.
Parents and guardians have been urged to stay informed through updates from the Western Cape Education Department and to contact their children’s schools directly for the latest information on reopening dates and transport arrangements.
The province’s education officials say the priority remains the safety of learners and staff. As the weather system persists, authorities will continue to monitor conditions and issue further guidance as needed.
