The Western Cape Education Department has confirmed that schools in the Cape Winelands and Overberg districts will remain closed on Tuesday, (9 April 2024). This extended closure applies to 281 schools in the Cape Winelands district and 84 schools in the Overberg District.

However, schools in the Helderberg area, which falls under the Cape Metro East Education District, will re-open on Tuesday.

At the same time, the department says there may be schools outside of these districts that request closure due to severe infrastructure damage or access issues.

These requests will be evaluated by the Department on a case-by-case basis following standard procedures for school closure requests. Schools permitted to close will inform parents directly.

The decision to extend closure for an additional day in the Cape Winelands and Overberg areas is based on updated weather forecasts from the South African Weather Service, which has predicted continued adverse weather conditions.

Monday’s school closures affected 406 schools and nearly 270,000 learners. Additionally, 392 learner transport routes were not operational, impacting over 20,000 students’ commutes.

Thus far, damage reports have been received from 132 schools, with varying degrees of severity, and more assessments are expected as staff return to school premises.

Contractors have been deployed to schools in the meantime to mitigate further damage caused by the adverse weather conditions.

“We thank all of our officials, principals, teachers and parents for their speedy response to the decision to close selected schools, and for the support they continue to provide to our learners in the Western Cape,” says MEC David Maynier

Adverse weather conditions in the Western Cape

This past weekend, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a level 9 warning for an intense cut-off low that is currently still making its way through the province. The Cape Winelands, Overberg, and West Coast districts have suffered the most damage due to strong gale-force winds and heavy rains and thundershowers. Parts of the Garden Route district are also expected to receive heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday

Necessary resources have been sent out to manage the effects of the inclement weather.

“Our first priority as the provincial government is to ensure that we do everything we can to keep our residents safe during this severe storm. We appeal to everyone to please exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessary travel,” said Premier Alan Winde.

Disaster management and emergency services personnel remain on high alert as multiple weather warnings are still active in multiple regions across the province. Teams have however been hard at work in both preparing for the so-called storm and responding to reported incidents.

“The dedication and commitment of all our disaster management personnel, on the frontlines and behind the scenes, is remarkable.” added Winde.

Road closures

A number of roads have been affected and closed as a precaution.

As of 14:15 on Monday, the following major road closures remain in place at this time:

• Baden Powell Drive has been reopened in both directions, as has Kloof Road between Regent Road and Avenue Francaise.

Closures still in effect at this time are:

• Hout Bay Main Road between Disa River Road and OR Tambo due to ongoing work related to a burst pipe in the area.
• Chapman’s Peak and Clarence Drive due to the inclement weather and the potential for rockfalls.
• And Sir Lowry’s Pass Road is closed at the N2 due to protest action.

Motorists are also advised to be aware of potential impacts related to localised flooding.

Trees fallen due to winds

The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department’s after-hours tree emergency teams responded to at least 108 calls regarding fallen trees due to strong winds. This surpasses the total number of incidents addressed during a three-month period in winter 2023, which stood at 76.

Most of the calls were from the City Bowl, southern suburbs, and the Helderberg Basin, covering areas like Firgrove, Strand, Somerset West, and Gordon’s Bay.

Teams are currently handling 108 incidents, a number higher than those reported during the typical winter season last year, showcasing the intensity of the recent weather conditions.

Power interruptions

The gale-force winds also led to power outages across the province on Sunday. Eskom says the continued adverse weather conditions are hampering efforts to restore electricity in affected regions. Several parts of the province are without power due to gale-force winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms. These areas include Beaufort West, Kraaifontein, Khayelitsha, parts of the Cape Winelands, Gordon’s Bay, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West and Vredendal.

READ MORE: DEVELOPING: Overberg & Cape Winelands schools remain closed