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Who registers ECD centres in South Africa?
On 1 April 2022 the early childhood development function moved from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the provincial education departments. Existing registrations transferred automatically; unregistered programmes "will need to register with the DBE", and new registrations follow the Vangasali process.
The governing law is still the Children's Act 38 of 2005 (partial care and ECD programmes), and a municipal health clearance certificate and zoning approval still apply.
Records for registration and renewal — in EduX
| Need | In EduX |
|---|---|
| List of enrolled children | A file per child with documents and family details, exportable as a list |
| Safe pick-up | Authorised-collector list; collector's name and time |
| Health and allergies | Visible to every staff member who opens the file |
| Staff details | Practitioner files with documents and shifts |
| Age groups | Children grouped by age and practitioner, with live headcount |
ZAR fees, debit orders and VAT
South Africa's VAT is 15%, and educational services are exempt under s.12(h) of the VAT Act; crèches have historically been treated as exempt, but confirm the current wording with your accountant. Most parents pay by EFT or debit order. In EduX, fee and instalment plans are set in ZAR, parents get reminders before each due date, and every payment is recorded on the family account with a receipt.
Children's data and POPIA
The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) has been fully in force since 1 July 2021, overseen by the Information Regulator. Children's information needs particular care, so in EduX a practitioner sees only her group, a parent only their child, and photos reach the child's family only.
What EduX runs day to day in South Africa
The core is the same everywhere; the setup is tuned to your nursery in South Africa: currency, app language, age groups and working days.
- Child profile: family details, documents, allergies and medication visible to every teacher who opens the file, and a list of the adults authorised to collect the child.
- Drop-off and pick-up: time in, time out and the name of whoever collected the child, with an instant notification to parents.
- Daily report: meals and how much was eaten, naps, activities and photos in the parent app (iOS and Android).
- Fees: instalment plans, automatic reminders before the due date, receipts and a statement per family.
- Staff: teacher and caregiver files, shifts and role-based permissions.
- Branches: for nursery groups, occupancy and collections per branch on one dashboard.
Full module details are on the nursery management system overview.
How we get you started in South Africa — and what it costs
Onboarding is fully remote, so it works the same whether you are in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban:
- A live demo on a working nursery account — free, no commitment.
- Data migration from Excel or your current system — children, families, fee plans and staff — free.
- Team training on the same screens your teachers will use every morning — free.
- Parent app launch and support through the first weeks, in English or Arabic, during working hours.
Price: plans start from SAR 5,000 per year, priced by the number of children and the modules you actually use. Ask for a quote with the form above.
Frequently asked questions
Who registers ECD centres in South Africa now?
The Department of Basic Education and provincial education departments, since 1 April 2022; registrations previously held by Social Development transferred automatically.
Can parents pay by debit order?
Yes — debit orders, EFT and card payments are recorded on the family account with a receipt in ZAR.
Is EduX POPIA-compliant?
EduX limits each role to the data it needs and sends photos to each child's family only; your centre remains the responsible party under POPIA.
Is there a parent app?
Yes — iOS and Android, showing the child's day, photos and fees.
How much does it cost?
Plans start from SAR 5,000 per year by number of children; ask us for a quote.