By: Natasha Archary
Cape Winelands and Overberg schools remain closed on Tuesday, 09 April as mop up operations being in the Western Cape following a storm that left a trail of destruction.
On Monday, a severe Orange Level 9 warning was issued for parts of the province including Cape Winelands, Overberg and Helderberg after gale-force winds battered most of the province on Sunday, 07 April.
Western Cape Minister of Education, David Maynier said 281 schools in the Cape Winelands and 84 schools in the Overberg district will remain closed.
Maynier said communications will be made with the schools as updated weather predictions indicate that these two areas remain at risk.
“Today’s closure affects 406 schools and nearly 270 000 learners. Our learner transport routes in these areas were also not operational, affecting 392 routes that ordinarily transport over 20 000 learners to school a day.
We have already received reports of damage at 132 schools, ranging from minor to serious.
The total is likely to rise when staff return to school properties in the coming days.
Our contractors were already on site at some of the schools as early as Sunday afternoon to prevent further damage from wind and rain.”
Somerset West Methodist Primary School has also suffered extensive wind-damage. In the south peninsula, at least nine properties have been destroyed by a fire in the Glencairn area.
At least 28 incidents have been listed of areas where structural damage occurred due to the wind, including Delft, Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Blue Downs, Somerset West, Northpine, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Monwabisi.
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