The national coronavirus command council (NCCC) will recommend to the cabinet that schools close for three weeks.

This was confirmed by impeccable sources within the teacher unions that attended a meeting chaired by deputy minister of basic education Reginah Mhaule on Wednesday night.

The council will table the recommendation with the cabinet on Thursday, and either basic education minister Angie Motshekga or President Cyril Ramaphosa will thereafter announce the cabinet’s decision.

Motshekga did not attend the meeting as she was said to be too busy.

On Saturday, the five unions handed Motshekga a list of proposals, which included that schools close immediately and only reopen at the end of next month. The unions said matrics should return on August 17.

The sources said the cabinet will finalise the matter on Thursday.

“What prevails now is three weeks on the table," said a source.

The sources also said the interministerial committee led by cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma had recommended that schools close for two weeks.