WCED to appeal high court judgement on school closures

Imogen Vollenhoven
21 August 2013

The Western Cape Department of Education has decided to appeal the High Court judgement on school closures. 

Last year MEC Donald Grant wanted to shut down 17 schools but late last month the Provincial High Court ruled against it. 

Ministerial Spokesperson Bronagh Casey said the application for leave to appeal contains more than twenty separate grounds for appeal. 

Casey said the majority judgment has serious consequences for any future decision by an education department to close a school both within the Western Cape and in the other provinces.

“This step is the only way we will be able to clarify the confusion as to exactly what is required to close a school,” said Casey.

She explained that at the moment the contents of the policy have been questioned and they are now left unsure with how to proceed.  

Casey said that it is likely to result in further litigation in the future from both and outside the Western Cape.