KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has slammed a recent “misleading and dangerous narrative” about foreigners which recently disrupted education at a Durban school.
Speaking at Addington Primary School on Thursday, the site of protests by the March and March movement, Operation Dudula and the MK Party over the alleged admission of foreigners at the exclusion of more than 60 local pupils, Hlomuka said the issue had created social conflict.
There were week-long protests and clashes between the lobby group and foreigners, which required the intervention of police, who used stun grenades and water cannons to disperse crowds last week.
After this clash, police decided to criminally charge the March and March movement and its founder, former Vuma FM presenter and activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, for allegedly inciting public violence.
She handed herself over to police on Thursday.
“We are also deeply concerned about the continued protests at the perimeter of the school that have adversely affected teaching and learning. I know that this issue has occupied the hearts and minds of South Africa, and it has attracted global attention.
“Any action that disrupts education, intimidates learners or compromises the safety of educators and school staff is unacceptable and will be dealt with decisively.”
Violence has no place in our schools, and those who seek to divide communities by using learners as scapegoats are undermining the values of dignity, equality, and social cohesion
— Sipho Hlomuka, KwaZulu-Natal education MEC
He said pupils, regardless of their nationality, should not be victimised.
“The constitution is unambiguous: every child within our borders has the right to basic education.
“Violence has no place in our schools, and those who seek to divide communities by using learners as scapegoats are undermining the values of dignity, equality, and social cohesion.”
He said the department rejected the narrative that:
- The department does not engage in or entertain speculation about the nationality of educators or school leaders. However, there was a dangerous allegation that the principal and the majority of his staff are foreign nationals. These allegations are false; those who peddle these lies do so knowingly and know they are putting innocent lives at risk.
- There are widespread allegations that foreign learners are responsible for challenges such as overcrowding, resource constraints, or underperformance. The truth is that these are systemic issues that require proper planning and sustained investment in education — not blame-shifting and exclusion.
- It has also been alleged that the school prioritises foreigners over South Africans. The school has provided evidence that clearly refutes this allegation. The total enrolment is 1,548. 968 are SA learners, while 580 are foreign national learners.
- The school has enrolled 17 undocumented learners. Again, the majority of the undocumented learners are South Africans, with 12 undocumented South African and five foreign national learners.
Hlomuka said the timing of the protests was concerning, as the province was working to consolidate improvements in learner outcomes and matric performance.
“Our progress must not be overshadowed by disorder and inflammatory rhetoric that distracts from the real work of building a high-performing education system.”
He said the school followed approved admission protocols, which placed the responsibility on the parent to ensure that the children are registered and taken to school as per the requirements of the SA School Act.
“We also appreciate the leadership of the school management team for keeping the school running under extreme pressure. You will remember that when these protests started, there were 66 learners who were requesting to be accommodated outside the normal admission processes. Incidentally, this list as received from the protester organisers, included children of foreign nationals.”
He said there are between 15 and 21 pupils whose needs are yet to be resolved.
“We empathise with the parents, who were all affected by disasters, which have led to them finding themselves situated at South Beach. We also appreciate the reasons advanced by parents who wish to choose Addington Primary. However, we do not condone or encourage the method of protest that has left teachers and learners in trauma.
“We have therefore resolved to take extraordinary measures to assist these learners and their parents. We want to stress, however, that this is not going to be allowed to be the norm. We have 11 grade R children. These children cannot be accommodated at Addington Primary. To assist them, we have negotiated with a local ECD centre at reduced rates. This centre is a feeder school to grade 1.
“We have left the administration of the school to find means to assist the learners in other grades, which will be announced in due course.”
According to a statement released by the March and March Movement on Monday, the organisation criticised what it describes as the state’s approach to law enforcement, claiming authorities are quick to arrest South African citizens while failing to act decisively against foreigners allegedly involved in criminal activities.
TimesLIVE
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