Cape Town safety fears force parents to seek former white-only schools
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Parents in Cape Town townships face daily dangers and long commutes to give their children safer, quality education outside their neighborhoods.
Cape Town Parents Flee Township Schools Amid Crime and Safety Fears
Desperate for safety and better education, many South African families are enduring long commutes to enroll their children in former white-only schools.
In Cape Town, South Africa, a growing number of parents are removing their children from township schools due to escalating crime, gang violence, and deteriorating safety conditions.
Sibahle Mbasana, a mother of three living in Khayelitsha — the city’s largest township — described a horrifying experience her sons endured at their former school:
“Thugs would go into the school carrying guns, threatening teachers and stealing their laptops right in front of the learners.”
Despite the fall of apartheid more than 30 years ago, families like the Mbasanas still face stark inequalities entrenched in the education system. Many township schools remain overcrowded, under-resourced, and vulnerable to crime.
A Legacy of Unequal Education
The Bantu Education Act of 1953, a key apartheid policy, intentionally limited Black children’s educational opportunities. Though officially dismantled, its long-term effects still shape South Africa’s school system today.
“There’s hardly any security at the school, and even if there is, they are powerless to do anything,” said Mrs. Mbasana.
After years of frustration, she transferred her sons — Lifalethu (12) and Anele (11) — and daughter Buhle (7) to a state school in Simon’s Town, over 40km away. The school offers smaller class sizes, better facilities, and most importantly, safety.
A Daily Commute for a Brighter Future
The family’s daily routine is grueling. The children wake up at 4:30 AM and either ride with their father, Sipho, who works in the navy, or catch a bus by 5:30 AM. They often return home exhausted around 4:30 PM.
Mrs. Mbasana said:
“They are always tired and want to sleep… but they are strong because they still do their homework.”
In 2023, their son Lifalethu made headlines when he was forced to walk home from Simon’s Town to Khayelitsha — a journey of over 30km — after losing his bus ticket and being denied entry. His disappearance sparked a city-wide search and national concern before he was found and safely returned.
Teachers Under Threat in Township Schools
Teachers are also victims of the escalating violence. At Zanemfundo Primary School in Philippi East, gangs demanded 10% of teachers’ salaries as protection money, according to local news outlet GroundUp.
“We are in extreme danger,” one teacher reported. “Gangs come to the school gun-wielding… Teachers are asking for transfers because they don’t feel safe.”
Similar incidents have been reported in Nyanga, Samora Machel, and other nearby communities.
Crippling Inequality in Education
According to Amnesty International, South Africa has one of the most unequal education systems in the world. A child’s academic future remains tied to race, geography, and income.
“Children in the top 200 schools achieve more distinctions in mathematics than the next 6,600 schools combined,” their 2020 report noted.
Though state schools are subsidized, parents must still pay fees that range between $60 and $4,500 per year in the Western Cape. Some schools are designated “no-fee” institutions, but they struggle to stay afloat due to limited government support.
In a recent budget shortfall, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) lost 2,407 teaching posts, leading to staff shortages and overcrowded classrooms — disproportionately affecting poorer township schools.
Middle-Class Schools Offer Hope — for Some
In formerly white-only suburbs like Observatory, schools have space due to wealthier families opting for private education. Donovan Williams, vice-principal of a local state school, said that 85% of his 830 students come from townships.
“They fall asleep in class. Most parents spend lots of money on transport just to get them here.”
A Bleak Outlook Without Urgent Reform
Experts like Prof. Aslam Fataar from Stellenbosch University say the future of township schools is grim unless there is a major shift in funding and political will.
“When it comes to teacher expenditure and pupil-teacher ratios, that sector has been neglected… Poorer schools were never given a sustainable platform for teaching and learning.”
For families like the Mbasanas, the struggle continues.
“We don’t want to live in the township,” Sibahle said, “but we can’t afford to move out.”
Amid the daily challenges, their courage highlights the resilience of parents fighting for a better future — even when the odds are stacked against them.
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