66 Learners Still Unplaced After Being Denied Admission at Durban’s Addington Primary School

The 66 South African learners who were denied admission to Durban's Addington Primary School at the start of the 2026 school year last week, are yet to be placed.

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, the leader of the advocacy group March on March, confirmed that the situation remained unresolved, with parents of the affected children still awaiting answers, and her organisation was set to voicer their disapproval.

“Addington School is still quiet, and we are going to get answers on Wednesday. Any South African that hasn’t been placed in the school, should let us know,” Ngobese Zuma urged.

She said that the focus of their upcoming demonstrations would encompass every South African child denied their right to education, and speaking out against overcrowded classrooms and inadequate resources.

“It is also about kids that are at school but whose learning is compromised because classes are overcrowded and don’t have enough food, etc.

"On Wednesday, it’s about saying that public schools are for South Africans; foreigners can go to private schools,” she said.

In response to growing public concern, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education held a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday at Addington Primary School, with various local authorities and education officials in attendance.

Led by Chief Director for District Operations, Thembelihle Gumede, the meeting sought to clarify the parameters regarding learner admissions and address the community’s worries about the fairness of the placement process.

Gumede, along with uMlazi District Director Busi Mahlambi and other officials, provided insights into the school’s admission process.

Mahlambi explained that the school had adhered to a legally mandated “first-come, first-served” policy in processing applications, submitting comprehensive statistics on acceptances and waiting lists.

The school's principal, Rajgopal Moodley, confirmed that the admission and transfer procedures for the previous academic year were concluded, asserting that the school was currently at full capacity.

Formal confirmation of these numbers was pending from Circuit Manager Gugu Zuma.

Councillor Sibusiso Lushaba noted that the majority of pupils at Addington were South African, and appealed for patience and understanding from community members as officials navigated the challenges of ensuring fair educational access.

“The core mandate of the department is to safeguard teaching and learning. Parents and guardians are encouraged to approach our offices directly should they have any queries or challenges related to learner admissions,” Gumede said.

The department has also extended an invitation to parents, who may not have applied for admission during the previous year, to engage with official channels, to ensure they receive the necessary support to resolve their admission challenges ahead of the 2026 academic year," he said.

DAILY NEWS