Schools in selected parts of the Eden and Central Karoo Education District will be closed on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, and Thursday, 7 May 2026, due to severe weather conditions forecast for the region.
The Western Cape Education Department says the decision was taken in the interest of learner and teacher safety, following extensive consultation with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
All public ordinary and special needs schools in Circuits 3 and 8 (George), Circuit 4 (Knysna), and Circuits 5 and 6 (Oudtshoorn) will be affected by the closure.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Kerry Mauchline says schools in the affected areas have been formally notified.
“Our default position is always to keep schools open and to close them only in exceptional circumstances, but we are mindful of the severity of the warnings in place,” Mauchline said.
She added that communication has been sent to all affected schools, which have been instructed to inform parents accordingly. All other schools in the province will remain open unless approval for closure is granted on a case-by-case basis.
“All schools are expected to open on Friday, 8 May 2026. We will, however, evaluate the weather forecast for the end of the week to determine whether any individual school closures are necessary for the remainder of the week,” Mauchline said.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre has placed the province on high alert following an Orange Level 8 warning for disruptive rainfall.
Centre head Colin Deiner says an intense cut-off low-pressure system is expected to affect the province from Tuesday afternoon.
“The forecast predicts that the Garden Route District will bear the brunt of the impending storm, with rainfall of between 150 and 200 millimetres expected in certain areas,” Deiner said.
Photo: Sourced
