A Cape Town school's death knell has been sounded by the SCA, which has reportedly dismissed an application to appeal by the governing body of Uitsig Secondary School, near Elsies River, against Education MEC Debbie Schäfer's 2017 decision to close it.

According to TimesLIVE, Schäfer said yesterday that she would now consult education officials and legal advisers about the next steps, which would be taken in the best interests of the school's remaining pupils, who number fewer than 100. She said decreasing pupil numbers and relentless vandalism and theft meant the school was no longer viable.

’Even security guards ... have been too scared to go to the school. Our teachers are scared, and there are two other schools within a kilometre of this school which can accommodate learners,’ she said.

The MEC renewed her attack on Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich, who has been prominent in the campaign to save Uitsig.

‘We cannot allow individuals with personal vendettas and agendas to continue to hold our learners and communities hostage,’ said Schäfer.

‘After years of protracted and costly court battles, where learners were found to be supporting court applications as proxies for political aims, rather than being in the classroom, I really do hope that the decision by the SCA now provides objective clarity on the matter.’

Full TimesLIVE report