KZN Education department intervenes at Addington Primary after placement protests
Officials from the KZN Education department has met with management at Addington Primary school to address the issue of learner placement after protests were held last week.
Image: Xolile Mtembu
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education says teaching and learning at Addington Primary School in the Durban CBD is proceeding uninterrupted following a clash between local and foreign national parents last week.
The issue of placement at the school led to tensions last week when locals claimed that preference had been given to foreign national children while their children were not admitted. March and March held a protest at the school and demanded that South African children should be prioritised.
In a statement on Monday, the department said its officials had met with management from Addington Primary School to address some of the challenges faced by the institution.
The meeting focused on pressing learner admission issues at the school with the objective of ensuring that learners are appropriately placed and that teaching and learning continue without disruption as the 2026 academic year has commenced.
The engagement further assessed the overall functionality of the school, including governance and management processes, to ensure alignment with departmental policies and regulatory frameworks.
“We are pleased that the school is functional, teaching and learning is in progress, and that all governance and management functions are being effectively attended to,” said uMlazi District Director, Busi Mahlambi.
The Department reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with school management and relevant stakeholders to safeguard uninterrupted learning and to uphold the rights and best interests of all learners.
In light of the recent events, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the provincial education department to clarify the school admission policy. The party expressed deep concern about the clashes that occurred between local and foreign parents over the placement of pupils.
DA KZN spokesperson on Education, Sakhile Mngadi, stated, “Recent public debate around school admissions, particularly in the context of undocumented migration, has highlighted a serious and growing problem: the lack of clear, consistent, and adequately resourced implementation of existing law and policy in KZN, forcing communities to see admissions as a zero-sum game.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law. There is no place for violence or the incitement of violence. The legal framework on school admissions is binding on education officials, who are required to apply it consistently and lawfully.”
Mngadi further emphasised that public anger surrounding undocumented migration cannot be resolved through confusion, mixed messaging, or by shifting responsibility onto schools. The law must be applied consistently, and the government must ensure that schools are properly supported to do so.
“The DA will therefore table a motion in the KZN Legislature calling for urgent clarity on the implementation of school admissions policy. We will request a detailed report to the relevant portfolio committee outlining learner numbers, funding implications, and practical measures to support schools while maintaining safety, legality, and stability,” he said.
The party noted that KZN's public education system is under severe strain. Chronic shortages of classrooms, teachers, and learning materials have placed schools under immense pressure.
“This mismatch fuels frustration at school and community levels, and if not addressed, creates conditions for instability and conflict,” Mngadi concluded.
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