Resolution sought for learners at Addington Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is expected to meet with the parents of 22 learners who were allegedly forcibly placed at Addington Primary School, as officials seek a resolution to the ongoing and contentious situation.

The meeting, scheduled for Thursday, follows confirmation by the department’s spokesperson, Mlu Mtshali, who addressed members of the media outside the school.

Mtshali revealed that departmental officials had previously met with the school principal regarding the learners in question, who were not formally registered at Addington Primary School.

“We found that some of these learners were registered at Greyville and neighbouring schools, but the organisers of the protests, together with the parents, brought them to this school (Addington) to be accommodated,” he said.

Uncertainty regarding the future placement of the learners remains, with Mtshali confirming that no definitive decision had yet been taken.

“We don’t have an answer to that yet. I think tomorrow (Thursday), as I said, the MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, will be here to engage with the district and the school management team,” Mtshali said.

Hlomuka’s visit is intended to address the ongoing standoff at the school and to seek a sustainable solution to the challenges affecting the institution.

“I think tomorrow will give us a way forward in terms of how we address this situation,” Mtshali added.

He further explained that some of the 66 children who were not accepted at Addington at the start of the school year were learners who had been displaced by floods in Durban. These children were previously rehoused near Addington Primary School and transported to their respective schools by the department.

However, once the department ceased providing transport to the flood-displaced learners, their parents sought to enrol them at Addington Primary, where their applications were declined.

Mtshali said these challenges would also form part of the discussions at Thursday’s meeting.

He reiterated that it was imperative for the department to find appropriate placement for the 22 learners, a process that would require collaborative engagement with their parents.

Responding to criticism over the department’s perceived slow response in resolving the matter, Mtshali said officials had made consistent efforts to accommodate the affected learners and were awaiting direction from MEC Hlomuka.

“The purpose of interviewing the parents and the learners is to understand their individual circumstances so that a tailored solution for each learner can be devised,” he said.

Representatives of the March and March movement, which has been actively involved in the situation, expressed support for the department’s approach of engaging directly with parents.

The movement’s provincial coordinator, Nhanhla Mqadi, reaffirmed their commitment to prioritising admission for South African learners, while stating that children already attending Addington Primary should be allowed to remain at the school.

In a show of solidarity, leaders from March and March, together with members of the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), provided school uniforms to all 22 learners who previously lacked the required attire. The gesture was intended to demonstrate their commitment to the education and well-being of the affected children.

Since the reopening of schools in 2026, March and March, along with MK Party supporters and members of Operation Dudula, have held a number of demonstrations at Addington Primary School, calling for local children to be granted admission.

The groups have claimed that the school has a disproportionately high number of foreign national learners and have voiced opposition to what they describe as an imbalanced demographic.

DAILY NEWS