More than 20 000 late applicants have forfeited their placement offers at some of the Gauteng schools. Late applicants were given until Friday last week to confirm placement by submitting the necessary documents.

Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said as of 18 January the department received 40 304 late applications. Of these, 17 686 confirmed placement by submitting their documents while 22 618 have not submitted their documents to date.

“The department appeals to parents to accept offers of placement at available schools. As compared to the 2018 academic year, when 321 910 applications were received by day eight, a total of 323 127 applications were received by day eight of the 2019 academic year. This reflects 1 217 additional applicants in 2019. Thus, the department receives a steady annual increase in learner numbers, which has resulted in overcrowding in some schools. Most schools have accepted more than five additional learners per class,” Mabona said.

He said the applicants who forfeited their placement offers on Friday would be placed as they reported to schools.

Mabona said the department would continue to encourage parents to keep pupils at schools where they were currently registered while emergency cases were prioritised.