Zimbabwean teachers removed from KZN schools

Four Zimbabwean teachers and several Zimbabwean children were recently removed from schools in northern KwaZulu-Natal for lacking proper documentation, officials confirmed during a radio discussion on Ukhozi FM.

The discussion featured Zinhle Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of the anti-immigrant vigilante group March on March, and Cyril Mncwabe, a provincial Home Affairs official. The focus was on Ngobese-Zuma's campaign to prioritise South African children in school enrolments over foreign nationals, particularly at Addington Primary School in Durban, which has recently been the site of protests and violent confrontations over the issue.

Ngobese-Zuma argued that foreign nationals are enrolling their children and using immigration rights as a shield against deportation. Mncwabe explained how the immigration system works, citing the removal of Zimbabwean teachers and students who did not have the required documentation as part of enforcement efforts.

Millions of Zimbabweans currently live and work in South Africa after leaving Zimbabwe due to governance failures and economic decline during decades of Zanu-PF rule. Many rely on access to education for their children and stable employment opportunities in their host communities.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions between local authorities and migrant communities over documentation and access to public services in South Africa.