From Drought to Discrimination: Zimbabwean Children in South African Schools

A Classroom in Johannesburg

In early 2025, a Grade 6 teacher in Johannesburg reported an alarming pattern: children arriving mid-term from Zimbabwe, often without documentation, struggled with English or isiZulu and were targeted by classmates repeating anti-foreigner rhetoric. One 12-year-old boy, fleeing prolonged drought with his mother, stopped attending school after repeated taunts about “stealing places.”

These experiences are common. Statistics South Africa (2022–2025) identifies Zimbabweans as the largest foreign-born population in South Africa, while United Nations Children’s Fund highlights that climate shocks—especially droughts linked to El Niño—have intensified child mobility.

Consequently, these children face a double burden: displacement due to climate and economic collapse, and xenophobia, documentation barriers, and school exclusion. This article examines systemic gaps and proposes actionable solutions in Gauteng, Limpopo, and the Western Cape.

Climate Stress and Child Mobility

Zimbabwe’s economic crisis—marked by hyperinflation, unemployment over 80% in informal sectors, and recurrent drought—has intensified child migration. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2022), southern Africa is a climate hotspot with increasingly frequent droughts.

The World Food Programme reported that over 2.7 million Zimbabweans required food assistance in 2024. Rural households, especially in Matabeleland and Masvingo, experienced crop failure, livestock loss, and water scarcity.

Traditionally, adults migrated alone, but climate stress now drives family mobility. Children accompany caregivers or move ahead to relatives in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Musina, or Cape Town. Because climate displacement lacks formal recognition, many children remain undocumented, complicating access to education and healthcare.

Education and Immigration Policy

South Africa’s Constitution (Section 29) guarantees education for “everyone.” Likewise, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) Admissions Policy (2019) instructs that lack of documentation should not prevent school access.

Despite these protections, schools in Gauteng and Limpopo continue requesting permits, according to the Legal Resources Centre (2023). Furthermore, immigration enforcement has intensified, with raids in Johannesburg and Tshwane. Civil society groups, including Section27, warn that this environment fosters hostility in schools.

As a result, schools must balance inclusion mandates against securitized migration pressures, creating confusion and anxiety for students, parents, and educators.

Xenophobia in Schools

Xenophobic bullying in South African schools is widespread, yet understudied.

Gauteng: Inner-city schools report bullying based on nationality and accent, with occasional reinforcement of stereotypes by staff. NGO data from 2024 recorded 37 incidents in three primary schools.
Limpopo: In Musina, transient enrolment and language barriers disrupt learning continuity.
Western Cape: Informal settlements in Cape Town, like Philippi and Dunoon, exhibit spatial segregation and lower academic progression among undocumented learners.

Such environments contribute to absenteeism, stress, and learning loss.

Health Impacts

Mental Health

Research (2021–2024, South African Journal of Child Health) links xenophobic bullying to anxiety, depression, and school dropout. Trauma from drought, displacement, and parental stress exacerbates these risks, particularly for adolescent girls facing gendered vulnerabilities.

Nutrition and Health

School feeding schemes are critical nutritional safety nets. Exclusion due to documentation interruptions threatens daily meals. Healthcare providers in Johannesburg South report incomplete immunizations, untreated chronic conditions, and growth faltering among migrant children. Fear of deportation often delays care, despite constitutional protections.

Case Examples

Tariro, 10, Johannesburg: Arrived mid-year; initial refusal without study permit; daily teasing led to school refusal and anxiety-related symptoms.

Brian, 14, Musina: Crossed during peak drought; irregular documentation caused relocations and missed academic terms.

Nomsa, 16, Cape Town: Lives in an informal settlement; xenophobic community tensions led to temporary school closures, affecting concentration and exam performance.

These cases highlight overlapping vulnerabilities: climate stress, mobility, documentation precarity, xenophobia, and gendered risks.

Stakeholder Perspectives

Parents: Seek education but fear interacting with authorities.
Teachers: Report overcrowding and limited psychosocial support.
Policymakers: Cite constitutional obligations but note resource and coordination gaps.
NGOs: Emphasize absence of coherent frameworks addressing climate-related mobility, per Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa.

Promising Interventions

Gauteng Inclusion Pilot (2024): Standardized admission checklists improved enrolment for migrant children.
Cape Town Psychosocial Support: Trauma-informed counselling reduced absenteeism.
Musina Coordination: Cross-sector forums track mobile learners to maintain continuity.

Policy Gaps

Lack of recognition of climate displacement.
Weak integration between DBE and DHA.
Limited school-based anti-xenophobia programming.
Insufficient mental health resources in schools.

Recommendations (2026–2028)

6 Months:

DBE: Reinforce directive prohibiting exclusion; conduct audits.
DBE & DHA: Align enrolment and temporary documentation processes.

12 Months:

Expand trauma-informed counselling in migrant-dense districts.
Integrate anti-xenophobia modules into Life Orientation.

24 Months:

Develop Climate Mobility Child Protection Framework (SADC-aligned).
Expand EMIS data collection on migrant learners.

Research Needs

Longitudinal mental health studies for climate-displaced children.
Gender-specific educational impacts.
Evaluation of school-based anti-xenophobia interventions.

Conclusion

Zimbabwean children displaced by climate and economic crises face compounded challenges: climate stress, migration governance, and xenophobia.

South Africa’s Constitution guarantees education for “everyone,” but policy coherence and intersectoral collaboration are needed.

Policymakers: Align immigration and education frameworks.
Public health practitioners: Integrate school-based mental health and nutrition monitoring.
NGOs: Provide documentation support and community engagement.
Researchers: Generate evidence to guide climate-aware migration policies.

Prompt action is critical to prevent educational disruption, trauma, and inequality. Rights-based, climate-responsive interventions can transform these children’s futures.

Selected Sources (2020–2026)

Statistics South Africa Migration Profiles (2022–2025)
UNICEF Southern Africa Climate Reports (2023–2025)
IPCC AR6 Working Group II (2022)
World Food Programme Zimbabwe Situation Reports (2024–2025)
DBE Admissions Policy (2019; updates 2020–2024)
Legal Resources Centre Reports (2023)
Cormsa Annual Reports (2022–2025)
South African Journal of Child Health (2021–2024)
Western Cape Education Department Review (2023)
Section27 Policy Briefs (2022–2025)

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