- A mother from Estcourt says she applied to two local high schools in July 2025 for her Grade 8 children but never received any response and was later told both schools were full.
• The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education says it introduced emergency steps to place learners, but more than 28,000 were still without schools in early 2024 as overcrowding worsened.
Parents in Estcourt near the Drakensberg are desperate to find space for their children in local schools.
Some families say they applied months ago but got no answers. When schools opened in January 2026, their children still had no classrooms to go to.
Thabisile Zondi is one of the frustrated parents.
She told Scrolla.Africa that she applied to two schools in Estcourt in July 2025 for her two children who are now in Grade 8.
“I applied in two schools here in Estcourt in July to make sure that my kids get place on time but I didn’t get any response. I then decided in August to go to these schools in person where I was told that they are already full,” said Zondi.
Thabisile said that was when her stress started.
When schools reopened in January, she tried again to find space at other schools in the area. She said none could take her children.
She waited until mid February, hoping something would open up. Nothing did.
She said the situation began to affect her children. They were anxious and worried while other pupils were already in class.
In the end, Thabisile made a tough choice. She moved her children to Mooi River, more than 30 minutes away from her home in Estcourt.
She rented a place there so her children could attend school without travelling long distances every day.
Other parents contacted by Scrolla.Africa did not want to speak.
The crisis is not only in Estcourt. In January 2026, KwaZulu-Natal faced serious school placement problems.
There were protests at Addington Primary in Durban. Some parents accused the school of prioritising foreign national children.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education said it eventually placed all learners. The department said it found extra space in nearby schools and used district offices to manage demand.
But overcrowding and shortages remain a problem.
More than 28,000 learners were still unplaced in early 2024. The pressure has continued into 2026 as more families move into towns and schools struggle with limited classrooms and resources.
Pictured above: About 32 children in Estcourt near the Drakensberg are still without school placement.
Image source: X
