Two top South African private schools officially closing their doors
Updated | By Jacaranda FM
Why are two of the country's most highly ranked private schools shutting down for good?
Many people in South Africa choose to enrol their children in independent or private schools for various reasons, even though private school fees are significantly higher than those of public schools.
READ: How much you need to earn for SA's most expensive private schools
It's up to the parents to decide what is best for their family and their children.
While people may think expensive private schools are immune to issues that might lead to their closure, the future of these institutions isn't 100% secure.
READ: One SA private school ranks among top 100 worldwide
The closure of two very prominent private schools in South Africa proves this.
Various sources, including Newsday and BusinessTech, report that these schools in Johannesburg are no longer operational, and both campuses are expected to be sold soon.
READ: SA's most expensive private schools in 2025
King David Victory Park
Located in Victory Park, the school opened in 1960 to serve the substantial Jewish community in Emmarentia, Greenside, and Victory Park.
It was also part of the larger King David school network, the largest Jewish school network in South Africa, which includes King David Linksfield, King David Sandton, Minnie Bersohn Pre-Primary School, and King David Rosabelle Klein Nursery School (Waverley).
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It offered schooling for Grades 1 to Matric and was also home to Johannesburg's first Jewish remedial school, King David Ariel.
- According to the latest IEB statistics, it was one of the best-performing schools in SA.
- In January 2026, the school announced that its final Matric class (2025) had achieved a 100% Bachelor’s Degree pass rate.
- The Matric class of 2025 also had an average of 3.44 distinctions per candidate.
- The school is placed among the top 10 private and co-educational schools in the country.
However, incredible results could not prevent the school from closing.
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The decision to close the school followed a lengthy review of its sustainability and future role within the King David school network.
After completing the consultation process, the South African Board of Jewish Education (SABJE) decided to close King David Victory Park at the end of 2025.
General Director of King David Schools, Rabbi Ricky Seeff, told BusinessTech that many factors contributed to this final decision, and that a King David school must deliver on its promises.
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This includes teaching excellence, a wide array of subjects, a robust sports programme, and world-class sports facilities.
Seeff also explained that the number of students in a majority of the grades at the King David Victory Park school had reached levels where maintaining excellence had been compromised.
Speaking to the Jewish Report, Seeff said there are a few prospective buyers and that the wider King David network had retained 90% of its students and 85% of its staff in this process.
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Mayfair Convent Primary School
The 112-year-old private primary school also closed at the end of 2025.
The school, founded in 1913 by the Sisters of Mercy, offered Grades 0-7 but had to close due to financial difficulties.
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Grace Masuku, chairperson of the school’s board, informed learners and parents in September 2025 that Mayfair Convent Primary School would be permanently shutting down at the end of the academic year.
Masuku shared that the school's finances had been under constant review and that the government support it received had been significantly cut.
The government subsidy has been reduced in the past year by 13% and then 18% as communicated to parents in previous letters. The school furthermore only received 50% of what was expected in the June 2025 subsidy payment.- Grace Masuku (Chairperson of the Mayfair Convent Primary School)
According to Masuku, this made it impossible for the school to continue operating, and despite their greatest efforts to sustain it, challenges beyond anyone's control made it unachievable.
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This left the school unable to support itself financially beyond December 2025, and parents were asked to continue paying school fees in full until then so that teachers and creditors could be paid.
The Mayfair Convent Primary School property was put up for auction on 16 October 2025, and the identity of the final buyer is unknown.
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Image: BusinessTech/Mayfair Convent Primary School
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