A packed Ward 6 meeting in Ballito erupted in debate as residents questioned plans for a new primary school.

Game Changers Primary School (operated by Soul Action NPO) has obtained a 30-year lease to rent half of Erf 837 (two and a half hectares) from the KZN Department of Public Works. The land lies between Zen and Hillary Drive, adjacent to the public park.

Details of the development were presented to the community on Wednesday night at the Ballito Library. The session was arranged following the circulation of conflicting information about the project.

The library meeting room was filled beyond capacity, with 80 people signing the attendance register.

School co-founders Phillip and Rachel Bowyer, who live in Ballito, began the meeting with a presentation outlining the school’s ethos, history and their search for appropriately zoned land to establish permanent premises.

During the question-and-answer session, several residents raised concerns about the project. Ward 6 councillor Ayabonga Zwane had to intervene at multiple points to maintain order as discussions became heated.

Questions from residents included how the school might affect property values, the impact on wildlife and traffic management.

The most common concern expressed was the lack of public consultation. Some residents living along Zen and Hillary Drive said they had expected an opportunity to comment on or object to the proposed use of the land.

Ward 22 councillor Privi Makhan explained that because the property already holds an educational zoning certificate, it does not follow the usual spatial planning and land-use management processes that involve formal public participation.

“It will now only go through two processes at KwaDukuza. The one is the site development plan and on this it’s only internal departments that comment – civils, traffic, water and environmental affairs. The second process is building plan approval.”

Makhan assured residents that the ward councillor would monitor the town planning process and report back to the community.

Wildlife

A number of residents expressed strong concerns for the wildlife occupying the site and asked whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) had been done.

Phillip confirmed that the school had submitted an EIA inquiry to the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and were expecting the results this week.

“So far we have found two areas that are protected. There’s a piece of grassland on the site, called Natal grassland and a milkwood tree,” said Phillip.

He stressed that protecting the natural environment was central to the school’s ethos.

“The design of the school has been planned around the trees. We are not using any concrete, so it won’t be a concrete jungle,” he said.

“The buildings will be made out of wood, like cabins. You can even unpick the cabins and move them somewhere else if you want to. They are effectively temporary facilities and won’t disturb the roots of the trees.”

Some attendees accused the school of being responsible for the recent clearing on the property. Ballito Neighbourhood Watch chairperson Morne Steffens clarified that public works is responsible for quarterly clearing of bush and grass on the site and has been performing this maintenance for several years.

Timeline

• Erf 837 (five hectares) has been zoned for educational purposes since 1976 but has remained unused.
• In 2010, the site was assessed as a potential location for a public high school but was deemed too small according to Department of Education guidelines. A primary school does not have the same land-size requirements.
• Phillip and Rachel Bowyer founded Game Changers Primary School in 2020, initially operating from space rented at FreedomHouse Church at Burnedale in Umhlali.
• To comply with education department licensing requirements, the school needed premises with appropriate zoning.
• Concerns relating to a nearby liquor-licence application prompted the school to relocate to Sugar Rush in Compensation in January 2025. Schools are legally prohibited from operating within 500m of an establishment holding a liquor licence. The restaurant at Sugar Rush is also due to apply for a liquor licence.
• From as early as 2020, the school had began searching for a permanent home. After struggling to find suitably zoned land, the Bowyers sought assistance from councillor Makhan and the Dolphin Coast Residents Association in January 2023. Makhan recommended they investigate a site in Salt Rock owned by public works.
• The Bowyers applied to the public works department later that year and in June 2023 were advised to apply for Erf 837 in Ballito. They were not given the option of applying for the site in Salt Rock.
• In October 2024 the proposal was gazetted for public comments.
• In March 2025 public works placed advertisements in newspapers, including the Daily News and Isolezwe.
• The Ballito Hindu Society also applied for the property to establish a religious cultural centre. Public Works proposed dividing the land and this was done, but the society later withdrew its application.
• Treasury approved the lease in May 2025, and the school notified the municipality, town planning and councillor Makhan early in June.
• In September this year, the school was informed that the lease had been finalised. Surveying and architectural planning has since begun.

About the school

Phillip said Game Changers Primary School will offer a more affordable independent-school alternative in the area.

The Bowyers, who are originally from the UK but have lived in South Africa for 20 years, say their vision is to broaden access to quality education. Their experience includes several years working in under-resourced government schools through an NGO.

The school uses a sliding-fee model in which families with higher incomes voluntarily contribute more to subsidise pupils from lower-income backgrounds. In 2026, fees range from R875 to R4500 per month.

“Today we have 40 children from different socio-economic backgrounds learning alongside one another,” said Rachel.

Currently, roughly half the pupils are from Ballito and half are from surrounding communities in a 5km radius. The school hopes to expand enrolment to 240 pupils once established on its new premises.

It currently offers Grades 1 to 7, with plans to include a pre-primary phase from 2027. The school follows a Reggio-inspired blend of CAPS and Cambridge curricula.

Children of mixed ages and abilities, including neurodivergent children, are taught alongside one another.

Editor’s note: The reporter is a parent at the school referenced in this article.

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