PRESS STATEMENT | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Department’s Circular affirms that every child has the right to learn free from fear, discrimination and violence.
Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX) welcomes the Department of Basic Education’s Circular No. S7 of 2026, which prohibits vigilantism and violence in and around South African schools and reaffirms the right of every child to basic education, irrespective of nationality or documentation status.
This directive is a timely and necessary intervention at a time when migrants, refugees and undocumented persons continue to be subjected to intimidation, discrimination and unlawful exclusion in communities across the country. By making it clear that no learner may be denied access to education because of their documentation status and that acts of vigilantism are unlawful and prosecutable, the Department has reinforced the Constitution, the South African Schools Act and South Africa’s international human rights obligations.
As South Africa marks Youth Month, we are reminded of the courage and sacrifice of the young people who stood up against injustice during the 1976 Soweto Uprising. On 16 June 1976, thousands of school learners took to the streets to demand dignity, equality and the right to an education free from oppression. Their struggle became a defining moment in South Africa’s journey to democracy and affirmed that schools should be places of learning, hope and opportunity, never spaces of fear, violence or exclusion. Fifty years later, the values for which those young people fought continue to guide our democracy and require that every child in South Africa enjoys equal access to education, regardless of nationality or documentation status.
KAAX particularly welcomes the Department’s reliance on the Gauteng High Court order (Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia and Others v Operation Dudula and Others) that prohibits vigilante groups from intimidating, harassing or assaulting individuals identified as foreign nationals, including learners and school staff. This sends a powerful message that schools must remain spaces of learning, dignity and safety, not arenas for hatred and exclusion.
Schools should never become battlegrounds where children bear the consequences of political rhetoric, misinformation or xenophobic violence. Every child, regardless of where they were born, deserves to feel safe in the classroom. Education is a constitutional right, not a privilege based on one’s nationality or reserved for those with documents.
KAAX further commends the Department’s instruction that School Safety Committees proactively identify and respond to risks of intimidation, xenophobia, afrophobia and discrimination, and that schools strengthen collaboration with the South African Police Service to prevent and respond to acts of violence. Equally important is the Department’s commitment to community engagement initiatives aimed at countering anti-foreigner narratives before they escalate into violence.
While this directive is significant, its success will depend on consistent implementation across all provinces and schools. KAAX calls on Provincial Education Departments, School Governing Bodies, Educators, Parents and Community leaders to ensure that the circular is not just filed away but actively implemented and monitored.
The recent rise in anti-migrant and xenophobic activities and narratives demonstrates how easily misinformation can place vulnerable communities, including children, at risk. Public institutions have a responsibility not only to respond to violence but to prevent it through education, accountability and the promotion of constitutional values.
KAAX also urges members of the public to reject vigilantism in all its forms. The enforcement of immigration laws is the responsibility of the State, carried out within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law. Individuals and community groups cannot assume policing and/or immigration powers or to threaten and intimidate migrants and those they perceive to be foreign nationals.
This circular serves as an important reminder that South Africa’s constitutional democracy is founded on human dignity, equality and the rule of law. Protecting children from violence and discrimination is not only a legal obligation but an ubuntu imperative.
KAAX stands ready to support government, schools and civil society in advancing inclusive, safe and rights-based learning environments for every child living in South Africa.
Ends
Media Enquiries
Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX)
Email: media@kaax.org.za
