The owner of Centuari Learning Centre, an independent school operating illegally in Centurion outside Pretoria, refused to open the school gates for the Gauteng department of education officials on Thursday.

The department, together with law-enforcement agencies, were due to close the school which has been operating for four years.

"This is a private property, I have reported you to the National Intelligence (Agency)," the woman said before walking back to the house in the premises.

From the outside, the school looks like a private residential place.

The department said it withdrew the operational registration for the school in April for non-adherence to registration requirements. However, the school ignored the correspondence and continued to operate.

This is happening as matriculants are left with only 45 days to sit for their final-year examinations.

At the time of publication, the officials had gone to the police station to open a case so that they could get a search warrant which will enable them to access the school.