It is back to business for schools in the Western Cape amid severe weather conditions in the region.
The Western Cape department of education(WCED) announced that based on updated guidance from the provincial disaster management centre and the South African Weather Service, all schools in the Western Cape will be open on Wednesday, 13May2026.
The minister of education in the Western Cape, David Maynier, said there were schools that would remain closed due to infrastructure damage or access challenges caused by the storm, and would request permission on a case-by-case basis. “Any schools approved for closure will communicate directly with parents,” said Maynier.
Principals have been asked to report any infrastructure damage to the department as soon as possible. The minister thanked school staff, officials and parents for the smooth implementation of the closures over the past week.
“And a special thank you to the emergency services, disaster management officials, and all stakeholders who continue to support our schools in these circumstances.
“We urge the public to only rely on official communication channels such as the WCED website and social media accounts.” Maynier confirmed that over the past week the department has seen a significant amount of fake news being distributed, either through the alteration of official graphics, forgery of officials’ signatures, or through images created with AI.
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.”
