Top private schools in South Africa officially shut down for good – Newsday

Two private schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, King David Victory Park and Mayfair Convent School, have announced their closure, with both campuses slated for sale.

King David Victory Park Closure

King David Victory Park, part of the larger King David school network, opened in 1960 to serve the Jewish community in Emmarentia, Greenside, and Victory Park. The school currently offers education from Grades 1 to Matric and is also home to King David Ariel, Johannesburg’s first Jewish remedial school.

Despite achieving a 100% Bachelor’s Degree pass rate for its 2025 matric class, with an average of 3.44 distinctions per candidate – placing it among the top 10 private and co-educational schools in South Africa – the South African Board of Jewish Education (SABJE) decided to close the school at the end of 2025. The decision followed a review of the school’s long-term sustainability within the King David network.

According to Rabbi Ricky Seeff, General Director of King David Schools, declining student numbers in most grades compromised the school’s ability to maintain its standards in teaching, subject offerings, sports programs, and facilities. Prospective buyers for the campus are currently being considered. The wider King David network has retained 90% of its students and 85% of its staff during this process.

Mayfair Convent School Closure

Mayfair Convent School, a primary school with over a century of history, founded in 1913 by the Sisters of Mercy, will also close its doors at the end of 2025. The school served students from Grade 0 to Grade 7.

The school’s board chair, Grace Masuku, cited financial difficulties as the reason for the closure, stemming from significant cuts in government subsidies. The subsidy was reduced by 13% and then 18%, and the school only received 50% of the expected payment in June 2025. Parents have been asked to continue paying school fees through December to cover teacher and creditor payments.

The Mayfair Convent School property was put up for auction on October 16, 2025, and the sale confirmed the permanent closure of the 112-year-old institution. The identity of the buyer has not been publicly released.