An alleged ongoing campaign by Operation Dudula has been mobilising parents and demanding that South African pupils be prioritised.
As some parents still await placement for their Grade 1 and Grade 8 children, Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, has refuted claims that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) prioritises foreign nationals over South African pupils in public schools.
This follows an alleged ongoing campaign by Operation Dudula, which has been mobilising parents in parts of Gauteng and demanding that South African learners be prioritised over foreign nationals in school placements.
Foreign nationals
In September last year, Operation Dudula allegedly delivered notices to some schools in Soweto, warning them against admitting undocumented pupils for the 2026 academic year.
Chiloane has dismissed claims that foreign nationals are prioritised over South African children.
“We wish to reiterate that the department does not have a directive that instructs schools or officials to prioritise foreign nationals during learner placements. On the contrary, South African learners are prioritised in line with applicable legislation, as well as the Department’s admissions and placement processes.”
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School challenges
Chiloane said that inner-grade applications (Grades 2-7 and 9-11) are managed directly at the school level.
He said they are not facilitated online, unlike the GDE Online Admissions system for Grade 1 and Grade 8.
“Some Gauteng schools are currently facing challenges in accommodating inner grade applicants, and as such, we urge schools to work collaboratively with district offices to manage the placements of these grades. This approach will ensure that pupils are placed efficiently.
“No school is permitted to prioritise foreign national pupils ahead of South African pupils. Any school or official found to be contravening admissions policies will be subjected to consequence management. We will not tolerate any claims that suggest foreign nationals are prioritised at the expense of South African nationals,” said Chiloane.
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Unplaced learners
Meanwhile, the GDE said that currently, there are only 2 763 Grade 1 and Grade 8 pupils who remain unplaced across the province
This includes 735 Grade 1 pupils and 2 028 Grade 8 pupils
GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona assured parents that all pupils who qualify for placement will be accommodated in public schools.
“The only limitation that currently poses a challenge is the lack of capacity in schools, particularly in high-pressure areas within Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg.”
“This means that not all pupils can be placed at their preferred schools immediately. Despite this, the department is working diligently to identify available spaces and ensure that every learner is placed as fairly and efficiently as possible,” Mabona said.
Late applications
Mabona said the GDE Online Admissions system opened for Late Applications to Grade 1 and Grade 8 on 17 December 2025, allowing parents who missed the main application period to apply.
“The 2026 Online Admissions system remains open for Late Applications until 30 January 2026, and parents are once again reminded that the system will only display schools with available space. This is particularly for those who did not apply during the main application period or those whose applications were incomplete during the main application period.”
Mabona said late applicants may select only one school and, once selected, the learner will be placed for the 2026 academic year.
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