IT has taken an “extraordinary act” of intervention from the KZN Department of Education to resolve the impasse at Addington Primary School where March and March members are picketing and demanding that South African children be admitted to the school.

According to the department, 22 children were without a place when the 2026 academic year began and were waiting for acceptance from Addington Primary School which has an enrollment of 1548. At a press briefing following a meeting with the school management and affected parents this morning (January 29), MEC Sipho Hlomuka said, “We have therefore resolved to take extraordinary measures to assist these learners and their parents. We want to stress however that this is not going to be allowed to be the norm.”

Out of the 22 children affected, 11 are in Grade R and the department has negotiated with a local ECD centre at reduced rates.

“These children cannot be accommodated at Addington Primary. In order to assist them, we have negotiated with a local ECD. This Centre is a feeder school to Grade 1. We have left the administration of the school to find means to assist the learners in other grades which will be announced in due course,” said Hlomuka.

The issue at the gates of Addington Primary School began at the start of the school year. March and March supporters, led by founder Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, accused the school management of accepting undocumented foreign learners ahead of South Africa children.

Also Read: Locals, foreigners face off at Addington Primary School

They alleged that a majority of the school desks were occupied by foreign nationals and undocumented learners. Investigations by the department revealed that out of the 1512 learners at the school,  968 are South African and 580 are foreign nationals.

“It has also been alleged that the school prioritises foreigners over South Africans. The school has provided evidence which clearly refutes this allegation,” said Hlomuka.

On the allegations of having undocumented learners at the school, he said, “The school has enrolled 17 undocumented learners. Again the majority of the undocumented learners are South Africans, with 12 undocumented South African learners. The undocumented foreign national learners are five.”

This was also confirmed by the head of department, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, who said that by law schools are obligated to accept children even without a birth certificate. “It is illegal to deny children education because they do not have a birth certificate. If parents or guardians encounter this, it must be immediately reported,” said Ngcobo.

Also Read: Angry protesters bay for ward councillor’s blood at Addington Primary School

Condemning the confrontational picketing at the school which has “left learners and educators traumatised and needing psychological support”, Hlomuka said they were very concerned and believe that the protest may have been politically motivated.

“The timing of such disruptions is particularly concerning,” said Hlomuka. “We have members of a political party protesting at a school and calling out the ANC MEC.”

Violent protests at schools condemned

He added that the department will not allow schools to be misused as sites of social conflict. “It must be stated clearly that learners, regardless of their background, cannot be targeted or victimised. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is unambiguous: every child within our borders has the right to basic education.

“Violence has no place in our schools, and those who seek to divide communities by using learners as scapegoats are undermining the values of dignity, equality, and social cohesion,” added Hlomuka.

Outside the gates of Addington Primary School and under the watch of a heavy police presence, Ngobese-Zuma said they welcomed the admission of the learners.

“If we had not done this then the department would not have acted. We cannot keep sitting back and watch as our country is being handed over to foreign nationals by our government. We need to end this by voting, before things become violent,” she said.

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