A Zambian refugee who was unfairly dismissed from work and is facing alleged Xenophobic attacks.What began as a search for safety and a fresh start in South Africa has turned into a years-long struggle for employment, dignity, and belonging for Kelvin Kasamba, a Zambian national and qualified educator who alleges he has been subjected to discrimination, administrative failures, and xenophobic treatment that ultimately cost him his job.
Kasamba, who arrived in South Africa in 2021 under refugee status, says he fled Zambia because of fears arising from the country’s laws criminalising same-sex relationships. Seeking protection and an opportunity to rebuild his life, he settled in South Africa and embarked on what he hoped would be a stable teaching career.
Today, he is unemployed, struggling financially, and attempting to clear his name following a dispute involving his professional registration documents and subsequent dismissal from a private school in Gauteng. The matter remains unresolved.
A New Beginning in South Africa, According to Kasamba, his arrival in South Africa was motivated by concerns for his safety and future in Zambia. After obtaining refugee status, he sought to establish himself professionally as an educator. He says he experienced difficulties updating some of his official documentation after discovering an alleged error relating to his date of birth in records managed by the Department of Home Affairs.
Despite these challenges, Kasamba secured teaching opportunities in various parts of South Africa, including schools in the Eastern Cape, where he taught Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Colleagues and former learners reportedly regarded him as a dedicated educator. According to information provided by Kasamba, some classes under his instruction achieved strong academic results, including high pass rates in Mathematics and Physical Science.
Those achievements appeared to position him for further opportunities. Earlier this year, he accepted a position at Benoni Christian School in Gauteng. Employment at Benoni Christian School, Kasamba says he applied for the role after seeing an advertisement seeking a Mathematics and Physical Sciences educator. The appointment represented an important opportunity to establish long-term stability. However, he alleges that tensions developed during his employment and that he experienced discriminatory treatment from the school’s principal, Debbie Singh.
These allegations are denied or disputed by the school. The dispute would later centre on Kasamba’s professional registration status with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), the statutory body responsible for the professional registration of educators in South Africa.
SACE registration is generally required for teachers to legally practise in South African schools. Educators are expected to maintain their registration and ensure that their professional status remains active and compliant. Kasamba maintains that he had been paying the required fees to SACE and had downloaded documentation from the organisation’s official systems confirming his status.
He insists that he believed his documentation was valid.The Inspection That Changed Everything.The turning point came during what Kasamba describes as a school inspection involving SACE representatives. According to his account, he asked whether the inspection had been requested by the school or was a routine compliance exercise. He claims the principal informed him that the inspection was mandatory.
Kasamba further alleges that the individual conducting the inspection did not present identification to him. Following the inspection, he says he was informed that documents relating to his SACE status were allegedly not valid and that concerns had been raised regarding their authenticity.
Kasamba strongly disputes those allegations. He maintains that the documents were legitimately obtained through official channels and that he had proof of payments made to SACE. “I downloaded the documents from the correct platform and had been making payments,” he maintains. Nevertheless, he says he was instructed to stop teaching while the matter was being investigated. “You’re a Criminal”
The situation escalated further when Kasamba engaged with SACE officials regarding the status of his registration. According to Kasamba, some interactions with officials left him feeling humiliated and targeted. He alleges that he was treated as though he had committed fraud and was effectively regarded as a criminal before any formal findings had been made. More seriously, he alleges that xenophobic remarks were directed at him during attempts to resolve the matter. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Kasamba says he repeatedly attempted to explain his circumstances and provide supporting documentation but struggled to obtain clarity regarding the status of his registration. The uncertainty would have immediate consequences for his employment. While attempting to resolve the dispute, Kasamba says the school initially appeared supportive.
According to his account, he was granted time to engage with SACE and was allegedly offered transport assistance to attend meetings relating to his case. However, he later discovered that his teaching position had allegedly already been advertised during this period. Kasamba claims he was unaware that the school was seeking a replacement.
When he sought explanations, he says he received few answers beyond instructions to continue dealing with SACE. Over time, he alleges, support from the school diminished. Transport assistance reportedly ceased, and communication became increasingly limited. Eventually, he says he was instructed not to return to work.He contends that this amounted to an unfair and unlawful dismissal.
In an effort to obtain comment, inquiries were directed to both SACE and Benoni Christian School. According to Kasamba, SACE informed him that the organisation does not make employment decisions on behalf of schools and is not responsible for hiring or dismissing educators. That response appears to conflict with his understanding that concerns raised during the registration dispute directly contributed to the termination of his employment. When contacted for comment, principal Debbie Sigh initially declined to engage extensively on the matter.
According to records of the interaction provided to this publication, Singh stated that Kasamba’s departure from the school related to issues concerning his documentation and referred further questions to SACE. The school did not provide detailed responses to allegations of discrimination at the time of publication. Further efforts to obtain comprehensive comment remain ongoing. For refugee professionals living in South Africa, disputes involving documentation can have devastating consequences.
Employment opportunities often depend on the seamless interaction of immigration records, professional registrations, and employer compliance requirements. Where discrepancies emerge, individuals may find themselves caught between multiple institutions, each referring responsibility elsewhere. In Kasamba’s case, he argues that administrative complications spiralled into a broader pattern of exclusion. He believes his refugee status and nationality made him particularly vulnerable. The consequences have extended beyond employment.
Kasamba says that his difficulties have not been confined to professional spaces. He alleges that he has also experienced xenophobic hostility within the community where he resides. According to his account, two individuals recently pursued him and threatened violence while telling him to return to Zambia.
South Africa has periodically grappled with outbreaks of xenophobic violence and anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly against foreign nationals from other African countries. Advocacy groups have repeatedly warned that refugees and asylum seekers often face barriers in accessing employment, housing, and social support. For Kasamba, those broader societal tensions now intersect with the loss of his livelihood. Perhaps the most damaging consequence, Kasamba says, has been the impact on his professional reputation.
As an educator whose career depends on trust, credibility, and compliance with professional standards, allegations relating to documentation irregularities carry significant consequences.He maintains that he has never knowingly submitted fraudulent documents and insists he has spent months attempting to resolve questions surrounding his registration status. Without employment, he now faces mounting financial pressure while continuing to challenge what he regards as an unjust process.
As investigations continue and further responses are sought from all parties involved, the dispute serves as a reminder of the fragile position occupied by many refugees attempting to rebuild their lives through professional careers in South Africa. For Kelvin Kasamba, the outcome could determine whether he is able to return to the classroom—or whether a controversy over paperwork will permanently derail the career he came to South Africa hoping to continue.
This publication will continue to monitor developments and welcomes responses from SACE, Benoni Christian School, and any other parties mentioned in this article. All allegations remain contested unless otherwise proven through official findings or legal processes.
