Parental frustration

As South African schools prepare to reopen on 14 January 2026, nearly 5,000 Grade 1 and 8 pupils in Gauteng remain unplaced due to glitches in the online admissions system and district overloads. Frustrated parents are queuing at offices and calling for the system's scrapping, while the department promises ongoing placements. The issue echoes national challenges in school admissions.