The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has announced the closure of all schools on the 28th and 29th of July to allow teachers and staff to take part in the ballot process. Regional Directors are further directed to ensure the release of staff members to be afforded an opportunity to cast their ballots. Hostel boarders must remain in their hostel and must be supervised on a shift basis, and Education Executive Director Sanet Steenkamp has urged hostel management to ensure the safety of the hostel boarders. Public servants will start voting for a strike this week after the government and bargaining unions have reached a deadlock and a certificate of the unresolved dispute was issued.