Durban - More than 100 children in Durban are estimated to have missed school on Monday after their families were forced to flee their homes following xenophobic attacks last week.
The KZN Department of Education did not have the exact figures on Monday afternoon as it was the first day of the term, but spokesman Muzi Mahlambi said district managers in affected areas had already been told to collect the data.
Not all foreigners were at the transit camps on Monday, as some sought refuge with friends and families in different parts of the country.
“The information they get from schools will help us plan the intervention programmes during and post the situation. We are doing this in the context of a broad provincial intervention strategy,” he said.
When The Mercury visited the Chatsworth transit camp about 50 schoolgoing children had not gone to school. They were from the Lusaka and Bottlebrush informal settlements.
Lack of transport from the camp to the schools in their neighbourhoods was the main reason parents gave for their children staying at home.
Others had lost their schoolbooks and uniforms when their homes had been looted.
“We left everything when we fled; our lives became the foremost priority and one didn’t think to grab a school bag or uniform. But it’s all gone now because our homes have since been looted,” Abias Chazike said.
Chazike is a father of four with two children enrolled at Brooklyn Heights Primary School and 3-year-old twins attending a local preschool.
“Even if we get assistance with the uniforms, books and transport there’s still the issue of how safe they would be travelling from here to the school. I’m also worried that they might be victimised and called names by the children they go to school with,” he said.
Others like Zimbabwean Ogreth Ngwenya said they were taking their children back to their home countries, which would negatively affect their education.
They said their children were born in South Africa and not familiar with the languages in other African countries.
Another Zimbabwean, Paul Chikaanhadzi, said it saddened him to see his little girl, Andinakho, 5, sitting idly at the camp when she could have been enjoying her time with friends at school.
“Children are very smart; they know that they should have been at school today. On top of missing home, they are now missing out on a part of their childhood,” he said.
The Bottlebrush Community Outreach, a Christian charity organisation running a feeding scheme in the area, brought stationery to the children at the camp on Monday.
“We’ve been coming here every day to volunteer our services, keep the children occupied and play with them, because there is not much for them to do around the camp,” said Marieke Moodley.
Twenty-two people have been arrested so far in connection with attacks on foreigners and looting of shops in Durban.
“The police operation continues and more could be arrested,” said police spokesman Thulani Zwane.
They face charges of public violence, possession of stolen goods and possession of unlicensed firearms.
The attacks started in Isipingo, south of Durban, a week ago and had since spread to KwaMashu, Umlazi and Chatsworth, Zwane said.
A number of criminal cases had been opened at police stations in the Umlazi and Chatsworth areas. They included public violence, business robberies, murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.
Last Friday night a tuck shop was petrol-bombed by unknown people. Two foreigners sustained severe injuries and were taken to hospital. One died.
On Sunday, violence erupted in the KwaMashu Hostel where foreigners were attacked.
It is still not clear how many foreigners have died.
Additional reporting by ANA
The Mercury