GOOD Statement by Andrew Hess,
GOOD Cape Winelands Councillor
05 May 2026
The GOOD Party today reaffirms its commitment to ensuring a dignified and conducive learning environment for the children of the Cape Winelands. This follows a formal submission made by GOOD Councillor Andrew Hess to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) earlier this year, highlighting the escalating crisis of overcrowded classrooms in the region.
In January 2026, Councillor Hess wrote to the WCED to raise urgent concerns regarding several schools within the Cape Winelands Municipality that are struggling to accommodate the increased number of learners. This overcrowding not only hampers the quality of education but also places an immense psychological and physical strain on both educators and pupils.
Councillor Andrew Hess stated: “Education is the bedrock of opportunity, but that foundation is crumbling when we force 50 or 60 learners into a space designed for 30. Our teachers are being turned into crowd controllers rather than educators. We wrote to the WCED to demand a clear plan of action, including the provision of mobile classrooms and the long-term commitment to infrastructure development in our growing communities.”
Despite the start of the 2026 academic year, many schools continue to report that they are over-capacity, with some learners still struggling to find placements in schools close to their homes.
GOOD believes that the “Right to Education” enshrined in our Constitution is meaningless if the conditions within those schools prevent actual learning from taking place. We cannot allow another year to pass where the potential of our youth is stifled by a lack of provincial planning and investment.
The GOOD Party will continue to monitor the WCED’s response and will persist in advocating for the dignity of our learners and the support our teachers desperately need.
Media Enquiries: media@forgood.org.za