March and March return to Addington Primary, demand priority for South African pupils
March and March rally against immigrant children’s school placements at Addington Primary
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
On Monday, the anti-immigrant organisation March and March protested outside the gates of Addington Primary School on behalf of South African pupils, who the group alleges were not placed there.
This was not the group's first demonstration at the school.
The first protest by the organisation took place on Wednesday, January 14, at the very beginning of the 2026 school term.
Today, March and March voiced similar opinions, calling for South African students to be given priority.
The organisation, deemed to be of vigilante origin, claims the school favours children of immigrants.
South African Police Service (SAPS) were lined up at the school's gate as the group continued its chanting.
March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has told IOL that they went to the school to advocate for parents whose children had not been admitted.
"Department of Basic Education KwaZulu-Natal confessing on radio that they will 'help' undocumented children to be documented?" Asked Ngobese-Zuma.
"Remember, for an undocumented child to be documented, it means their parents must be documented first. So, they double as Home Affairs now, aiding illegal immigrants to get papers?"
On Wednesday, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, who is in charge of the education and health panel for the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal, said the group's claims were not true.
"If there are issues to be handled, let it be not in areas where there is learning and teaching to disturb," he said, adding that, "The school is currently at full capacity with 1,548 learners. Of those, 968 are South African citizens."
The following day, March and March accused Saps of using 'apartheid techniques' against its members.
"Our movement is not a vigilante group; it abides by the laws of the Republic and in its endeavour to vindicate the rights of the neglected South African citizens.
"It has and it will never utilise violent tactics."
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini recently addressed the rising issue around the school's enrolment crisis.
The King spoke on the issue on Thursday at the 147th commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana in Nquthu, northern KZN to celebrate Zulu warriors who beat the British troops on January 22, 1879.
"What happened at Addington shows that we are being compromised by our sisters.
"But what can we do, because their children are our nephews and nieces?" he said.
"However, we must sit down and discuss this. Even if my nephew or niece is born of a foreign national, that foreign national must leave, while my nephew or niece should remain."
IOL News