Schools along the Eastern Cape district have been closed following a severe weather warning that was issued by the South African Weather Service.
Picture: Garden Route Municipality
The Eastern Cape Department of Education has announced that schools in three districts in the province will be suspended from Wednesday to Thursday.
Icy, wet and windy weather conditions are expected, with disruptive rainfall potentially resulting in significant, to severe flooding in certain areas.
Meanwhile, in the Western Cape schools have also closed in the Eden and Central Karoo Districts for Wednesday and Thursday.
Eastern Cape schools close
Schooling has been suspended for Wednesday and Thursday, 3 and 4 June 2026, in three education districts in the Eastern Cape, including: Nelson Mandela District, Sarah Baartman and Buffalo City, have been identified as parts of the province that is to be severely affected by weather conditions.
According to the SA Weather Service, a cut-off low-pressure system is currently passing over the Eastern Cape, resulting in heavy rainfall that is expected to hit the provinces over the next few days.
Especially along the coast and flood-prone areas nearby the South Coast. Around 100 to 150mm are expected in areas including Buffalo City, Great Kei, Kouga, Kou-Kamma, Makana, Ndlambe, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ngqushwa, and Sundays River Valley.
Reschedule exams
Considering most schools are currently completing their mid-year exams, the affected Circuit Management Centres have been requested to reschedule examinations with their subject advisors, including the preparation for catch-up classes where there is a need.
Districts have been urged to implement safety and precautionary measures in response to severe weather conditions.
The Department of Education anticipates the possibility of flooded settlements, roads and bridges, along with infrastructure damage and dangerous driving conditions due to slippery roads and reduced visibility.
Safety Precautions
Acting Head of Department (HoD) Qaphela Luthuli instructed the affected districts to warn schools about the predicted weather conditions.
“Consequent to the caution issued by the South African Weather Services, there is no schooling in these districts to ensure safety of all our learners.”
“Should there be any developments relating to this issue, districts will be informed in due course.” Luthuli said.
The affected and high-risk areas may be exposed to flooding, infrastructure damage, dangerous road conditions and other weather-related risks.
Severe Weather Conditions
District Directors have been advised to assess local conditions and prioritize the safety of learners, staff, and officials before permitting attendance at schools and offices.
Principals from the affected schools have been urged to establish and activate alternative communication channels to facilitate schoolwork during the suspension period.
All districts and schools are also instructed to prepare precautionary plans to recover lost teaching and learning time, once conditions improve.
Conditions along the Garden Route
Since this morning, the Garden Route has experienced light to moderate rainfall as no major life-threatening weather-related incidents have been reported.
Low-lying areas across the district are being closely monitored. Meanwhile, some residents in Oudtshoorn, Welgeluk, and De Rust have evacuated their areas as a precaution due to rising river levels.
The weather service has reported more than 60mm of rainfall in certain mountainous areas between last night and the early hours of this morning.
Electricity Outages
The Garden Route Municipality said that additional rainfall is expected as the organisation aims to work proactively with local municipalities to address any issues that may arise.
Electricity outages have also been noted in specific areas. According to the Garden Route Municipality, these incidents are being assessed and will be attended to by Eskom and/or the relevant local municipalities as conditions allow.
