Flooded roads after heavy rains fell on June 10, 2025 in Gqeberha, South Africa. It is reported that heavy rains and violent winds has led to severe flooding and large-scale evacuations. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Lulama Zenzile) 
Extreme weather conditions in KZN have damaged 138 schools’ infrastructure in 12 districts, prompting some schools to halt exams as teachers wait for the provincial education department to assess the damage and provide mobile classrooms.
Meanwhile, 74 schools were damaged in the EC as a result of floods that also led to a school transportation vehicle carrying 13 pupils being swept away by rising water levels at Efata Bridge last week.
Since early June, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued multiple alerts warning of flooding, disrupted transport and coastal damage. The EC and KZN have borne the brunt, with widespread power outages, infrastructure damage and emergency operations in full swing.
Read more: Eastern Cape in crisis: Floods and landslides displace thousands; government and NGOs rally together.
Daily Maverick spoke to two school principals from the Umgungundlovu District in Pietermaritzburg, and Umzinto. Both KZN schools were hugely affected by the strong winds.
Zodwa Ndwandwe of KwaMadlala Primary in Umgungundlovu District, said exams were stopped after five classrooms were destroyed by the strong winds. “We are damaged; five classrooms are affected as the roofs are destroyed, and the electricity wiring is also affected, so learners could be shocked. And no one should be learning there.
“We had to stop exams for the week that had strong winds, and children’s homes were also damaged. They will start on Tuesday to write exams,” said Ndwandwe.
Read more: Twenty-four KwaZulu-Natal schools damaged after severe floods disrupt learning and destroy infrastructure.
Smangele Ncwane, the principal of Othandweni Junior Primary School in Qoloqolo, Umzinto, told Daily Maverick that while the school is old, it was not severely damaged. “One of our classrooms has an asbestos issue on top, so learners cannot study well. The circuit manager also came on Friday to check the damage.
“They do this thing of coming over, but it just ends there, and we are using our own money sometimes,” said Ncwane.
KZN’s Department of Education spokesperson, Mlungisi Mtshali, told Daily Maverick that the department had started to assist a few damaged schools with mobile classrooms so that learning could take place.
This is the second time this year that KZN schools have been affected by strong winds. During March, Daily Maverick reported that 24 KZN schools were damaged after severe floods disrupted learning and destroyed infrastructure.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ED_560382.jpg "A shack surrounded by water after heavy rains fell in Motherwell in Gqeberha on 10 June 2025. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Lulama Zenzile)")
EC schools damaged by floods
The EC was hugely affected by floods that destroyed homes, and according to EC provincial education spokesperson Vuyiseka Mboxela, 74 schools have been damaged, with most of the impact in Mthatha.
“The schools differ in the degrees [of damage]. Jumba Senior Secondary School was affected, and it is the one that had learners who were swept [away]. Not a lot of exams have been postponed in the entire province; it is just a few high schools that have been affected. Eight learners were affected who were writing national papers; all the others were writing internal papers. Some schools have no roofs; some have water in them, and others are just inaccessible because of damaged infrastructure,” said Mboxela.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) confirmed last week that the scholar transportation vehicle, a 22-seater minibus affiliated with one of its members, was transporting learners to Jumba Senior Secondary School when the incident occurred on the morning of Tuesday, 10 June. According to reports, the vehicle was discovered along with eight learners who were swept away.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ED_560378.jpg "Flooded roads after heavy rains fell on 10 June 2025 in Gqeberha. There has been severe flooding and large-scale evacuations. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Lulama Zenzile)")
Death toll at 90
By Monday, 16 June in the evening, the Mthatha floods’ death toll was 90. The EC Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson, Pheello Oliphant, told Daily Maverick that the OR Tambo Municipality district (Umtata) and Amatolo district were affected, and bodies are still being discovered.
“The most affected are informal settlements, people who have constructed houses without following regulations, and Abahlali Basemjondolo, whose shacks were washed away.
“Some learners were washed away by a river. The damages are still being assessed. Twenty-eight bridges were damaged by the floods. The number of people missing cannot be determined as search operations are continuing.
“As water subsides and mud, you just pick up a body, because they are all covered up by water,” said Oliphant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who visited Mthatha last week, described the floods as catastrophic. “This is a moment of sadness, even for us, and we have pledged to assist the people who have suffered as a result of this. The government will assist with shelter,” he said. DM