The Western Cape education department has confirmed that most schools in the province have reopened on Wednesday after days of disruption caused by severe storms and flooding.
The announcement comes as thousands of people across the province have been left stranded by the floods, with communities still grappling with damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure.
The department said some schools may remain closed because infrastructure damage or access problems make it unsafe for learners and staff to return to class.
“There may be schools that need to remain closed due to infrastructure damage or access challenges caused by the storm, and they will request permission on a case-by-case basis. Any schools approved for closure will communicate directly with parents,” the department said.
Principals have been asked to report any infrastructure damage to the department as soon as possible. The department also issued a warning about fake news.
“We urge the public to rely solely on official communication channels such as the Western Cape education department website and social media accounts.
“Over the past week, we have seen a significant amount of fake news being distributed, either through the alteration of official graphics, the forgery of officials’ signatures, or through images created with AI [artificial intelligence].
“The distribution of fake news takes time and resources away from supporting schools during severe weather events, so we appeal to everyone to first verify information using official channels before sharing,” the department said.
Safety must be prioritised
The ANC has welcomed the reopening of schools in the province but warned that safety must be prioritised.
Khalid Sayed, a member of the provincial legislature and leader of the opposition, said: “The safety of learners, educators, school staff, and scholar transport users must always come first.”
“No learner must be expected to return to an unsafe classroom, flooded school grounds, damaged infrastructure, or dangerous routes to school.”
Sibongile Kwazi, secretary for the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union in the Western Cape, said: “We were one of the voices that were advocating for school closures for Monday and Tuesday. The reason behind that was the severity of the weather.
“We are open to the reopening of schools since the weather has improved. But as a union … most of our working-class schools are in areas where there is constant flooding, which means it would be difficult for learners and teachers to reach their schools.
“Teachers will know what to do in terms of covering the curriculum that was lost over a day or two … teachers always do extra work,” Kwazi said.
- Most schools in the Western Cape have reopened following severe storms and flooding, though some remain closed due to safety concerns and infrastructure damage.
- Over 83,000 people in the province were stranded by the floods, with communities facing extensive damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure.
- The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) urges reliance on official communication to avoid the spread of fake news, which has increased during the crisis.
- The ANC welcomes school reopenings but emphasizes that learner and staff safety must remain the top priority before returning to school.
- The South African Democratic Teachers' Union acknowledges improved weather but highlights ongoing challenges for schools in flood-prone areas and supports cautious reopening.
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Principals have been asked to report any infrastructure damage to the department as soon as possible.
“We urge the public to rely solely on official communication channels such as the Western Cape education department website and social media accounts.
"Over the past week, we have seen a significant amount of fake news being distributed, either through the alteration of official graphics, the forgery of officials’ signatures, or through images created with AI [artificial intelligence].
“
“No learner must be expected to return to an unsafe classroom, flooded school grounds, damaged infrastructure, or dangerous routes to school.”
“We are open to the reopening of schools since the weather has improved. But as a union ... most of our working-class schools are in areas where there is constant flooding, which means it would be difficult for learners and teachers to reach their schools.
“Teachers will know what to do in terms of covering the curriculum that was lost over a day or two … teachers always do extra work,” Kwazi said.
