Clashes have broken out at Addington Primary School in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, amid growing frustration over learner placements for the new school year.
Police were forced to intervene on Wednesday, firing tear gas and using a water cannon to disperse a crowd gathered outside the school.
Several organisations have accused the school of prioritising the admission of children of foreign nationals over South African learners, claims that have intensified tensions in the area.
However, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has dismissed the allegations. Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said all 66 South African learners whose names were submitted by the lobby group March and March Movement have already been placed at the school.
“We can confirm that there’s no child that has not been placed. Even the list that we got from the March and March Movement, all those 66 learners have been placed. They have been placed in the very same school, Addington, and we have identified that some of the learners on that list already had schools,” Mahlambi said.
He added that Addington Primary is currently at full capacity, with more than 1,500 learners enrolled, including 968 South African pupils.
Authorities have urged calm as officials continue to engage with concerned parents and community groups to resolve outstanding placement issues.