Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said damaged roads needed to be reopened ahead of the festive season so that the provincial economy could benefit.

The Western Cape government has given an update on road infrastructure repairs after a storm lashed parts of the province over the Heritage Day long weekend in September.

The storm caused a second major flood this year in the Western Cape.

"We first had to make sure that we saved lives. We had to get in there and make sure that people were safe and were put into halls. We got food to people ... it was a disaster response," said Winde.

The floods destroyed homes, bridges and access roads to suburbs and schools.

Heather van Ster, Western Cape education chief director, confirmed that 249 schools were affected by the storm, with 149 having been damaged.

"Most of the damage could be addressed in clean-up operations by the schools... On Tuesday after the long weekend, 39 schools had to be closed.

That number declined as transport routes opened and cleanup operations were finalised," said Van Ster.

The week-long school holiday helped to expedite repair work on damaged roads.

Van Ster said all schools were now open except for Sandhills Primary School outside Worcester, where learners were being accommodated at alternate sites while repairs continued.

Economic concerns

Winde said it was...