Placement Delays at Hoërskool Akasia Leave Parents Fuming as School Admissions Crisis Deepens
- Angry parents gathered at a Pretoria school after their children were denied placement, exposing deep frustrations over overcrowding and transparency failures
- An interview with EFF member, Prince Shabangu, captured tense scenes as families demanded answers, shining a spotlight on systemic problems affecting thousands of learners across Mzansi
- Allegations of manipulation and selective admissions intensified calls for urgent reforms to prevent learners from falling through the cracks of South Africa’s schooling system
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Parents in Akasia, north of Pretoria, are at breaking point after placement delays at Hoërskool Akasia left dozens of learners without confirmed spaces, triggering protests and political intervention on 6 February 2026.
Source: Getty Images
Families say their children have been unfairly sidelined, while allegations of manipulation, favouritism and poor transparency have intensified tensions at the school.
The outcry erupted after EFF representative Prince Shabangu addressed the eNCA outside the school, accusing the school governing body of blocking transparency, manipulating class lists and allowing irregular placements, leaving legitimate applicants stranded. He centred the dispute on Grade 8 admissions, where parents claim overcrowding, duplicate learner entries and selective placement have locked out deserving pupils, forcing some to consider distant or under-resourced schools.
At the heart of the crisis is South Africa’s overstretched public school system, particularly in high-pressure urban areas like Gauteng, where thousands of learners are still scrambling for placements weeks into the academic year. Rapid urban migration, late applications, limited infrastructure and rising enrolment have pushed schools beyond capacity, leaving parents desperate for answers and officials under pressure to respond.
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From early morning queues to tense confrontations, emotions ran high as families demanded clarity and accountability, insisting their children should not be punished for systemic failures. Shabangu said many parents had followed the official online admissions process, only to be told there was no space, while others appeared to secure placement on the spot.
EFF member accuses SGB of interference
Shabangu allege that class registers contain duplicate learner names, enabling manipulation of attendance records, while oversight visits meant to verify class sizes were abruptly cancelled. He also claimed that the school governing body has overstepped its mandate, interfering in learner placement rather than focusing on infrastructure and governance.
Adding to the frustration, Shabangu said families say their children were redirected to distant schools lacking basic resources, despite nearby schools appearing to accommodate late arrivals. For parents who recently relocated to the area, the placements have disrupted routines, increased transport costs and raised safety concerns for learners forced to travel long distances.
See Prince Shabangu's interview below:
Mzansi weighs in on the school placement chaos
Facebook users reacted strongly under the post, sharing similar experiences, venting frustration and debating accountability in the country’s overstretched education system.
Kika Masentle Silva commented:
“Continue to fight for your children. The teachers, principals and education department officials, including SGB members, sadly are taking bribes for learner placements, that’s why we are always facing this challenge of children not being able to get placed at government schools.”
Jowie Mahlaba Moleofe wrote:
“Kids who stay in Akasia didn’t find space, but the ones from Soshanguve are placed.🤔🤔How come?”
Monty Morrison noted:
“I find it very strange that the same people who burnt down schools because they refused to be taught in Afrikaans are now demanding to be admitted to an Afrikaans school. 🙉🙊🙈😂”
Nkosi Enhle wrote:
“I'm sure children of undocumented foreign nationals are sitting comfortably. They've taken our children’s space.”
Johannah Mokoho said:
“Why fight the school? Go to the right places to fight. It is not the school's fault.”
Source: Getty Images
More school placement crisis articles
- Thousands of Gauteng pupils are starting the school year without confirmed placements due to capacity shortages.
- Thousands of parents across South Africa, particularly in Gauteng, are struggling to secure school placements for their children days after the school year began.
- Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane denied prioritising foreign nationals in school placements.
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Source: Briefly News
