Growing criticism of protests at Durban's Addington Primary School

Criticism continues to mount over protests at Addington Primary School in Durban, with the Southern Africa Refugee Organisations Forum (SAROF) calling the demonstrations xenophobic and warning that the actions are unlawful and put children at risk.

The demonstrations, which began when schools reopened on January 12, form part of a wider pattern of action against foreign nationals in South Africa, including preventing them access to hospitals and clinics.

The protests at Addington were led by the group March and March which has also been joined by Operation Dudula, alongside members of political parties displaying party regalia. Demonstrators demanded the removal of foreign learners from the school and their replacement with South African citizens.

“Schools must never be transformed into arenas of political intimidation, vigilantism, or xenophobic mobilisation,” SAROF said.

SAROF described the protests as part of a broader trend of xenophobic violence in South Africa. “The normalisation of these actions reflects a dangerous erosion of the rule of law, where vigilante groups operate with apparent impunity,” the organisation said.

It warned that despite multiple court rulings declaring such actions unlawful, blockades and disruptions continue.

The organisation expressed particular concern that children were now being directly targeted. “Children must never be weaponised in political conflicts,” SAROF said, noting that hundreds of refugee and migrant learners at the school are already experiencing fear, anxiety, and trauma.

False claims driving protests

Central to the unrest were claims that undocumented foreign learners were being prioritised over South African children. SAROF said these allegations were false and contradicted by official data from the Provincial and District Education Departments.

According to enrolment figures provided by the education department, Addington Primary School has 1,548 learners, including 988 South African citizens and 548 foreign nationals.

“Only 12 learners are undocumented, with the overwhelming majority lawfully documented and enrolled in compliance with national education policy and court rulings,” the organisation said.

SAROF said the Addington incident reflects a growing phenomenon of educational xenophobia. The organisation highlighted that refugee and migrant students routinely face barriers to tertiary education, financial aid, and state social assistance. “The extension of this exclusionary logic to primary education represents a grave escalation,” SAROF said.

Calls for urgent action

The organisation called on the government to take immediate action to prevent vigilante activity targeting schools and other public institutions. SAROF also urged law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals responsible for inciting violence and intimidation.

“Silence and delay are no longer neutral, they are complicit,” SAROF said. The group further recommended emergency psychosocial support for affected learners and the formal designation of schools as violence-free zones to protect children’s right to education.

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