ECD forms and contacts for Gauteng
Gauteng's own education domain is education.gauteng.gov.za (NOT www.education.gauteng.gov.za, which does not resolve), and its ECD section is a live SharePoint document library that publishes exactly two things: annual ECD statistical overviews, and a complete, current 2026 Annual ECD Online Headcount Survey package of eight PDFs (Memorandum plus Annexures A to G) that I downloaded and read in full. What the GDE does NOT publish anywhere online is the registration paperwork or the subsidy paperwork: there is no Form 11, Form 16, Form 29, Form 30, GL Form 1, no "Form 1 Application for ECD Subsidy" business plan template, and the GDE Circulars page loads but is completely empty. Registration itself has moved off the provincial site entirely onto the national DBE eCares portal (user-registration.dbecares.gov.za), and the GDE ECD page links only to the DBE Bana Pele page for it, so a Gauteng crèche owner registers nationally online and gets subsidy forms only by walking into a district office.
Every link on this page was opened and checked on 2026-08-31.
Government sites move things without notice, so if one has broken since, tell us on WhatsApp and we will fix it the same day. Always confirm the current version with your district office before you submit.
Forms you can download for Gauteng
These are published by Gauteng Department of Education or by a national government source that applies here.
| Form | What it is for |
|---|---|
| ANNEXURE A: 2026 Annual Early Childhood Development (ECD) Online Headcount Survey Template
Annexure A |
The 10-page paper version of the headcount survey. This is the form a Gauteng crèche owner fills in by hand in black ink first (EMIS number, eCares reference number, district, municipality, address, learner and staff counts, Grade R practitioner qualifications) and then transcribes into the online system. Emailed paper copies are NOT accepted. NOTE: this is the headcount/enrolment survey Annexure A, not the Children's Act staff-details Annexure A. |
| ANNEXURE B: ECD Survey Guidelines
Annexure B |
21-page step-by-step instructions for completing the headcount survey on paper or online, with screenshots. Confirms the survey applies to all Gauteng ECD centres regardless of registration status. |
| ANNEXURE C: List of Decentralised Walk-In Centres
Annexure C |
3 pages listing all 34 walk-in venues across Gauteng with physical addresses, open 08h00 to 15h30 during the survey window, where a Social Work Professional and a data capturer help owners complete the survey. Also names the district supervisor and cellphone number for each of the 15 districts. This is the single most practically useful document for an owner who cannot get online. |
| ANNEXURE D: Education and Municipality Boundaries
Annexure D |
One-page table mapping every Gauteng suburb/township to its GDE district (Johannesburg Central/East/North/South/West, Ekurhuleni North/South, Gauteng East/North/West, Sedibeng East/West, Tshwane North/South/West) and its municipality. Use this to work out which district office your crèche reports to. |
| ANNEXURE E: List of Primary Schools
Annexure E |
41 pages listing every public primary school per district with its EMIS number. Needed because the survey asks a centre to name its nearest public primary school and that school's EMIS number. |
| ANNEXURE F: Submission of Survey PDF
Annexure F |
One-page table giving, for all 15 GDE districts, the district ECD supervisor's name and cellphone number, the district office physical address, and the dedicated ECD survey email address. This is the closest thing GDE publishes to a district ECD contact directory. |
| ANNEXURE G: ECD Information Management File
Annexure G |
One-page index page for the file every Gauteng ECD centre must keep on site: contact details, circulars, memoranda, registration certificates, eCares ECD profile, signed survey, verification reports. GDE officials and the Auditor-General inspect against this file during site visits. |
| FORM 11: Application for registration / conditional registration / renewal / reinstatement of a partial care facility
Form 11 |
NGO MIRROR, not a government domain. Centre for Early Childhood Development (cecd.org.za). 4-page prescribed form under Regulation 14, section 81 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005. I opened it and confirmed the content is the genuine Form 11 with the crèche/educare/after-school/private hostel categories. Use it to see what will be asked; get the signed original from your GDE district office. |
| FORM 16: Application for registration / conditional registration / renewal of an Early Childhood Development programme
Form 16 |
NGO MIRROR, not a government domain. 3-page prescribed form under Regulation 24, section 96 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005. I opened it and confirmed it is the genuine Form 16. Same advice as Form 11. |
| ECD SURVEY MEMORANDUM | Official GDE memorandum to ECD centre owners/principals announcing the 2026 Annual ECD Online Headcount Survey (survey window 27 July to 07 August 2026). Signed by Mr Hank Andrews (Acting), Director: Education Management & Planning. Lists the seven documents a centre must have ready to complete the survey, states participation is mandatory for all registered and funded centres, and gives the head office phone number. |
| Statistical overview of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Gauteng 2025 | 67-page provincial ECD statistics report from the prior headcount survey. Reference/benchmarking only, not a form. The 2024 and 2023 editions are also live at the same path with the year changed and both returned 200. |
| ECD Norms and Standards (consolidated) | 11-page national DBE document setting out the norms and standards a centre must meet at the COMPLY stage to move from Bronze to Silver or Gold. This is what a site inspection scores you against. |
| Mass Registration Drive FAQs (quick summary) | 2-page national DBE FAQ on the registration drive. |
The national route, which works in every province
Registration now runs through the DBE's Bana Pele drive and the eCares system, whichever province you are in. Registration is free — nobody should be charging you for it.
- eCares registration portal (DBE) — create an account and lodge the application
- Bana Pele registration drive (DBE) — the process, the documents needed, and the current provincial rollout
- eCares resource hub — guides for applying, fixing a rejected application, and linking an already-registered centre
- Call centre 0800 202 933 · banapele@dbe.gov.za
Other Gauteng pages worth having open
- ECD programme certificate (gov.za service page) — National gov.za service page. Explicitly names Form 16 as the ECD programme registration application form and lists everything the application must contain, including the Department of Justice clearance against Part B of the National Child Protection Register and the National Register for Sex Offenders. Caveat: the page still says apply at Social Development or a municipal office, which is out of date now that the function sits with education.
- How to register an ECD centre (Vuk'uzenzele) — National government publication, and the only gov.za-family page I found that is written specifically about Gauteng and names the form set: Forms 11 and 16 (application), Annexure A (staff details and qualifications), Annexures B and C (menus per age group), Form 29 (completed by the centre manager), emergency certificate/evacuation plan, lease, organisational profile, approved building plan. IMPORTANT CAVEAT: this article is dated July 2016 and routes everything through Gauteng Social Development. Treat it as a checklist of what will be asked for, not as current procedure.
- Annual ECD Online Headcount Survey system (gdesurveys) — The GDE's own live portal where the headcount survey is actually submitted. Page states the survey window is 27 July to 07 August 2026 and cites section 59 of the South African Schools Act as the legal basis. The submit function is only active during the window.
- eCares user registration portal (DBE national) — National DBE domain. This is where a Gauteng crèche now actually applies to register an ECD programme under the Bana Pele drive. Page title is 'eCares | DBE'. It is a JavaScript app, so there is no downloadable application form; you create an account and complete the application online. Registration is free.
- Early Childhood Development (GDE ECD section) — The GDE's only ECD landing page. It is a document library, not a guidance page. It contains the 2026 headcount survey folder, three annual statistical overviews, and a single outbound link to the DBE Bana Pele registration drive. There are NO registration or subsidy application forms here.
- Bana Pele ECD Registration Drive — National DBE page, and the page GDE's own ECD section links to for registration. Explains the three stages (APPLY to Bronze certificate, COMPLY site visits, COMPLETE to Silver or Gold), gives the eCares application link, and warns that registration is free and to report anyone charging for it to banapele@dbe.gov.za.
- Register ECD partial care facilities (gov.za service page) — National gov.za service page covering registration of the facility itself (partial care) as opposed to the programme. Same caveat: it still directs you to Social Development.
- Required Registration Documents (Bana Pele flyer) — JPEG flyer (not a PDF) listing the documents you must upload to the eCares application. Print it as a checklist before you start.
- How to apply (Bana Pele flyer) — JPEG flyer walking through the eCares application steps.
- List of NGOs Supporting Registration in Gauteng — JPEG flyer, Gauteng-specific. Names the NGOs accredited to help Gauteng centres register for free: Tools for School, PEN (Participate Envision Navigate), Siyakholwa, Safe and Sound, Rex Motheo Training Institute, SmartStart, Play With A Purpose (PWAP), Grow ECD, Masenze Ikusasa Basic ECD Skills Training, Lima Rural Development Foundation, Hope Worldwide SA, Funanani Trust, SA Childcare, ECD Upliftment Projects, Assupol Community Trust, Association for the Education & Care of Young Children, Afrika Tikkun, The Unlimited Child, Cotlands, For Afrika, Cheerful Givers, Amandla Ku Lutsha.
- 7 Simple Application Steps — PNG poster of the seven eCares application steps.
Who to phone in Gauteng
For most owners this section is worth more than any PDF. These are published by the department itself.
| Who | Details |
|---|---|
| GDE head office / general call centre | Call Centre 0800 000 789, email gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za, 17 Simmonds Street, Marshalltown, 2107 |
| GDE Directorate: Education Management & Planning (issues the ECD survey) and Directorate: Early Childhood Development | Tel (011) 355 0024, 17 Simmonds Street, Johannesburg, 2001 (P.O. Box 7710, Johannesburg, 2000). Director: Early Childhood Development is Ms Phumelele Tloubatla. The ECD survey memorandum is issued by Mr Hank Andrews (Acting), Director: Education Management & Planning. |
| Ekurhuleni North district ECD office | Hlamarisa Mabasa, cell 082 554 4028, 78 Howard Avenue, Munpen Building, Benoni, GDEENSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Ekurhuleni South district ECD office | Johanna Mashabela (Acting), cell 066 291 4939, 2 Robin Close, Infinity Office Park, Meyersdal, GDEESSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Johannesburg Central district ECD office | Lungelo Mavundhla, cell 066 291 3277, Cnr Modjadji & Old Potch Road, Soweto College, Pimville, GDEJCSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Johannesburg South district ECD office | Lungelo Mavundhla, cell 066 291 3277, 100 Northern Parkway, Crownwood Plaza, Ormonde, GDEJSSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Johannesburg North district ECD office | Zandile Monama, cell 079 529 4584, Cnr Jorrison & Biccard Street, FNB Building 2nd floor, Braamfontein, GDEJNSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Johannesburg East district ECD office | Zandile Monama, cell 079 529 4584, Sandown High School, North Road, Sandown Corner, Rivonia, GDEJESurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Johannesburg West district ECD office | Zukiswa Mabutho, cell 071 492 1053, 20 Goldman Street, Florida, GDEJWSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Gauteng East district ECD office | Hlamarisa Mabasa, cell 082 554 4028, Corner 2nd Avenue & 3rd Street, Old FNB Building, Springs, GDEGESurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Gauteng North district ECD office | Elsie Motaung, cell 082 564 0131, The Yorkcor Building, Watermeyer Street, Meyerspark, GDEGNSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Gauteng West district ECD office | Iris Cindi, cell 082 331 0903, Cnr Human & Boshoff Street, Krugersdorp, GDEGWSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Sedibeng East and Sedibeng West district ECD supervisor | Christian Nkosi, cell 067 597 2724. Sedibeng East office: Corner Joubert & Kruger Street, SL & M Building, Vereeniging. Sedibeng West office: 6 Samuel Street, Sebokeng. Survey emails GDESESurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za and GDESWSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za (full addresses in Annexure F and C). |
| Tshwane North district ECD office | Elsie Motaung, cell 082 564 0131, Wonderboom Junction Shopping Mall, Cnr Lavender & Voortrekker Road, Wonderboom, GDETNSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Tshwane South district ECD office | Mmakgomo Motsepe, cell 067 597 2764, 265 President Tower Building, Pretorius Street, Pretoria, GDETSSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| Tshwane West district ECD office | Mmakgomo Motsepe, cell 067 597 2764, Old Hebron College, Klipgat Road near Odi Hospital, Mabopane (also given as 2216 Klipgat Road, Mabopane), GDETWSurveyECD@gauteng.gov.za |
| DBE national office (Bana Pele / eCares registration queries, including reporting anyone charging for registration) | banapele@dbe.gov.za. National office: 222 Struben Street, Pretoria. Call Centre 0800 202 933, callcentre@dbe.gov.za, switchboard 012 357 3000. |
Registration is free. If somebody offers to register your centre for a fee, they are selling you something the state gives away. Use the call centre number above instead.
Once you are registered, the paperwork does not stop.
The subsidy is kept by the quarterly returns, not the registration certificate. Zande builds them from the attendance you already mark and the costs you already record.
Get started free →