Operation Dudula Criticized Over 2026 School Ban Targeting Undocumented Foreign Children. Image: Tumi Pakkies/Independent Newspapers
(The Post News)- Operation Dudula has announced plans to prevent undocumented foreign children from accessing public schools, asserting that South African children must be prioritized due to limited constitutional resources.
The group further stated that legally documented foreign children will only be considered once all local students have been accommodated.
Zandile Dabula, leader of Operation Dudula, revealed that the campaign is scheduled to begin in late December 2025 and continue into early January 2026. The initiative aims to block the enrollment of foreign children, particularly those without legal documentation, into South African public schools.
Equal Education (EE) and the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) have strongly opposed the proposed campaign, arguing that it violates the South African Constitution and contradicts a landmark High Court ruling.
Tensions surrounding undocumented foreign nationals in South Africa have persisted for years, frequently sparking heated debates, protests, and discussions about immigration policy.
Limited access to essential services such as housing, healthcare, and education has exacerbated friction between South African communities and foreign nationals.
Dabula stated that Operation Dudula members plan to be physically present at schools to enforce the group’s stance on foreign learners.
“No foreign child will be attending a public school,” she declared. “They can rather take them to private schools, we do not care, but public schools are going to be reserved for South African children only.”
As reported by IOL, when asked whether the campaign targets all foreign children or only those without documentation, Dabula clarified, “I am talking about illegal foreigners who will definitely not be accepted, but also those who claim to be legal.”
She further expressed concerns about fraudulent documentation, claiming that many fake or bogus Home Affairs offices exist, which the group has encountered.
Dabula emphasized that every foreign national must undergo rigorous vetting, including verification of their parents’ legal status. She questioned how such children entered the country and whether their parents possess proper documentation.
In an interview with IOL News, EE and the EELC condemned Operation Dudula’s proposed campaign, calling it unlawful, unconstitutional, and profoundly harmful to children’s rights.
“Children should never be collateral damage of the failures of those in power,” the organizations asserted, emphasizing the state’s responsibility to uphold the rights of all children, regardless of nationality or documentation status.
Section27 highlighted the Centre for Child Law v Minister of Basic Education (Phakamisa judgment), in which the court affirmed that every child, regardless of immigration status, has the right to basic education under Section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution.
The South African Schools Act (SASA), as amended by the Basic Education Law Amendment Act 32 of 2024, now explicitly includes this legal protection. Section 5(1A) specifically requires schools to admit undocumented learners, allowing them to submit an affidavit with their personal information in place of official documentation.
Please share your thoughts contact Thembeka via email: journalist-thembeka@thepostnews.net
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