After being excluded for two years, Wandile, 8, finally starts school

After being denied his right to education for two years, Wandile Shelembe, 8, of Ntuzuma, north of Durban, started grade 1 on Tuesday.

Wandile was denied access by three schools in the area because he doesn’t have a birth certificate. The soon to be nine-year-old boy finished creche in 2018 and has never been to school.

Londiwe Mnguni, Wandile’s mother, told GroundUp that their Wendy house had been gutted by fire on July 26 2018, destroying everything they owned - including their documents.

Wandile’s sister Akhona managed to get access to school using an immunisation card and is in grade 7 this year - but not Wandile.

“I tried everything in my power as a parent to make sure that he gets into school, but all my efforts were fruitless. He used to cry his lungs out every time he saw his sister go to school,” said Mnguni.

GroundUp found out about Wandile’s story last year and tried to get comment from the KwaZulu-Natal department of education - without success.

Last week GroundUp tried again and on Monday the KZN department said Wandile would be admitted to school while his birth certificate is being sorted out.

Spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the child would be admitted to Faith Mlaba Primary School, which is the closest school to Wandile’s home. “The child will be in class while the issue of the birth certificate is sorted out,” said Mahlambi.

“I am so excited that my child is finally going to school! He missed out on a lot, but I am sure he will catch up. I was worried about his future. I want him to get education and be the best that he can be,” said Mnguni.

Last year on December 12, the Grahamstown high court declared it unconstitutional to bar undocumented children, whether South African or not, from attending school. Judge Selby Mbenenge said the right to basic education was enshrined in the constitution and no child could be denied this right simply because he or she had no documentation.

On February 10, minister of education Angie Motshekga issued a circular to all heads of provincial education departments, heads of provincial governance sections, district directors, school governing bodies, school principals and governing body associations, telling schools to follow the order of the high court.

This article was first published by GroundUp.