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Some schools in the Western Cape remain closed and infrastructure damaged as heavy rain continues to batter the province, with officials on high alert.
(The Post News)- A devastating level 8 storm swept through the Western Cape province in South Africa, leaving one dead and 15,000 individuals displaced from their homes since Sunday and 217 schools across the province have reported damage to infrastructure.
The storm, which started on July 8, came with very strong winds and heavy rainfall, causing damage to 14,000 infrastructure across the province.
The most damaged infrastructure during the storm was hundreds of schools, with many buildings damaged and some undergoing complete destruction.
According to officials, the schools affected by this widespread destruction were in the areas of Cape Winelands and Overberg.
The full impact of the damage caused by the storm is still being looked into, but initial reports state that many schools have been destroyed.
“Our infrastructure teams are addressing these cases as fast as possible, and I am grateful for their continued commitment in these adverse conditions,” expressed Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier.
The regional government has vowed to provide support and resources to affected schools.
Following an announcement of a cold front, the Western Cape Education Department announced on Wednesday, the closure of schools in the Cape Winelands and Overberg.
In a media statement by the department, all public ordinary and special schools in the following education districts were closed on Thursday, July 11, as a result of the severe storm warnings for these areas:
Metro Central Education District
Metro East Education District
Metro-North Education District
Metro South Education District
Cape Winelands Education District
Overberg Education District
Circuit 1 and 2 of the West Coast Education District (Malmesbury and Picketberg areas)
The schools have received official notice of the closure from the Head of Department, and have been requested to communicate the closures to parents.
All other schools in the remaining districts will be open unless approval has been granted for closure. This will be done on a case-by-case basis.
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