The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has issued a fraud alert, after it emerged that an individual named “Godfrey” is soliciting bribes from parents in exchange for learner placements for the 2026 academic year.
This comes as the provincial education department’s online admissions placement is underway.
In July, the GDE opened the online application system for registration of learners starting grades one and eight in the 2026 academic year. It began sending out placement offers to parents and guardians via SMS and through the online admissions system in October.
However, some parents have grown frustrated with the “prolonged” process, as they are still in the dark about where their children will be going to school next year.
Says the GDE: “We would like to categorically state that there is no person by the name of ‘Godfrey’ employed by the GDE in Tshwane, or any of our district offices, who is responsible for placements. Parents are strongly cautioned not to pay anyone who claims they can secure a school placement.
“Parents must understand that no individual can fast-track the placement process. Those who pay these fraudsters are paying for nothing, as all placements are managed strictly through the official GDE online admissions system.
“Criminals often take advantage of parents’ anxiety during this period, and we urge the public to remain vigilant. Any suspicious activity or individuals claiming to represent the department should be reported immediately.”
In an attempt to allay anxiety over placements, the GDE says the process is still ongoing and offers are still being issued daily.
“Every applicant with a complete application will receive a placement offer; there are no technical delays. Parents whose applications are still being processed are requested to be patient and wait for their placement offers.
“Those who have received offers are encouraged to accept them as final. If a parent receives an SMS indicating their child has been placed in grade one or grade eight at a specific school, this will be regarded as a successful placement. There is no need to log into the system to accept such an offer.”
The provincial education department introduced the schools online registration system for grade one and eight learners in 2016, under leadership of premier Panyaza Lesufi. This was part of the department’s effort to prevent long queues and encourage a tech-savvy school registration process.
The process, however, has often been criticised for hiccups, such as the system’s inability to handle multiple users at a time and the lack of timeous communication by the department on the status of learners’ applications.
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