By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Members of Operation Dudula on Monday welcomed several frustrated parents to their offices in Diepkloof, Soweto, to ‘raise concerns’ about South African children who have not secured school placements.
The anti-illegal immigrant group has positioned itself as an advocate for stricter enforcement of immigration laws and greater accountability by authorities.
The group is running a campaign that it says addresses “key issues” in South African schools, such as overcrowding, unemployed local teachers, and school placements.
National organiser Freeman Bhengu told Inside Education that one of the “biggest problems” parents had approached Operation Dudula about on Monday was applying online for school placements.
”I’ve spoken to five parents [already today] who’ve got a problem with their children not being placed,” Bhengu said.
In November, the Gauteng High Court said that only immigration officers or police have the authority to demand passports or identity documents to verify a person’s right to be in South Africa, and interdicted Operation Dudula and its leaders from making such demands of any private individuals.
The case arose from Dudula’s actions at public sites like clinics and schools, where they had been demanding documents to ascertain nationality and block access of non-citizens.
“We are adhering to that, and we respect that interdict,” said Bhengu.
Nevertheless, he said, Dudula had decided to “engage” with the public, “who are suffering under the system”.
Any placement issues that were brought by parents to Operation Dudula would be raised by the group with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), he said.
“Our main mission is to place each and every child in every school, and we know this online system application is cumbersome to most of them,” he said.
Gauteng’s placement disputes are driven by rapid in-migration into metros, overcrowding, late applications and shortages of teachers and infrastructure — pressures the DBE has previously linked to thousands of learners still unplaced even after the school year begins.
The department has also warned parents against scammers offering “paid” placements.
Continued Bhengu: “It’s not going to be a one-week campaign, it’s a whole year event. So, people who are not placed this January, in February, we are still going to be on this campaign up until every South African child is placed, and we are taking it further with unemployed teachers in South Africa.”
One parent said that she tried to apply online for her child at a nearby public school in July last year, but was told her child had been placed at a school farther from where they live.
“I can’t afford transport for my child to go to that school, and I cannot afford their school fees as well, as I need to take care of us all,” she said.
“I went to the district to appeal. They promised that they would respond to my appeal via email, but until today, they haven’t responded. They have gone quiet on me.”
The parent said she then went to the nearest school last year to apply, but found the school had placed many “foreign nationals”. She said a school clerk told her she could try again next year, once space had opened up.
“I’m worried now. Schools are opening next week, and I don’t know which uniform I should buy,” she said.
“What I see here is that our government doesn’t care about us; they care for foreign nationals. I don’t know if we should also pay for space in schools, because the government is failing us, and this online application is nonsense.”
Sharing similar frustration, another parent said she had been struggling to secure a suitable school placement for her child since Grade 8.
Her child, now going into Grade 10, travels a long distance from Diepkloof to Turffontein (Johannesburg East), which has forced her to spend hundreds — sometimes thousands — of rands on transport, while also paying school fees.
“When I applied for my child to go to Grade 8, I applied online on time, but they gave her a placement in Turffontein,” she said.
“I went to the district and told them I couldn’t afford to transport my child to Turffontein. On top of that, I told them I was not working, and they never helped me in this regard.”
She said she and her child continued to struggle as she repeatedly applied for a school closer to home, but her child was still not placed nearer.
Now 58, she said she has a part-time job, but transport remains a major burden, as she must pay to get to work and ensure her child gets to school.
She added that her employers had helped her find accommodation closer to her workplace to reduce transport costs, while she continues to apply for a school within walking distance of where they are currently staying.
INSIDE EDUCATION
