Tensions flared outside Addington Primary School in Point, Durban, on Wednesday after anti-immigrant protesters demonstrated over allegations that immigrant learners were being given priority over South African pupils.
Police were deployed to protect immigrant learners and their families as members of the anti-immigration group March and March, alongside supporters of the MK Party, gathered outside the school. The protesters claimed, without providing evidence, that immigrant children were being favoured in school placements.
During the protest, some demonstrators reportedly attempted to block immigrant parents from collecting their children. Police intervened by using water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the crowd, before escorting learners safely to waiting vehicles. The incident followed a similar protest last week, during which some South African parents stood in solidarity with immigrant families, defending their children’s right to education.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi revealed that a list of 66 learners seeking placement at the school had been submitted by the protesters. He noted that 20 of the learners on the list were, in fact, not South African, describing the situation as ironic.
Mahlambi firmly rejected claims that immigrant learners were given preferential treatment, adding that all 66 learners had since been successfully placed in schools.
In a statement, the provincial education department condemned the protest, describing it as an incident that “resulted in a traumatic experience for learners.” The department said the affected children required psychosocial support following the disruption.
Meanwhile, the department disclosed that parents of an additional 15 learners, whose families were displaced by floods in April 2022, have requested placement for their children in nearby schools. The affected families had been relocated to temporary accommodation along Point Road, close to Addington Primary School, and were previously provided with scholar transport. However, the transport service was discontinued due to funding constraints.
