Purpose: Outlines a framework for social justice, describes both the social and educational context of South Africa, highlights inequitable funding practices, and then advocates for policy changes in the form of vertical equity. Design/methodology/approach: Provides a retrospective review of mandated segregation by race to hypothetical de-segregation by post-apartheid policies to de facto re-segregation by class, in the "new" South Africa. Findings: Describes how overt racism in the form of apartheid laws has been replaced by covert racism and class domination in the form of school fees. Originality/value: Reveals how "new" educational injustices are preventing poor and marginalized groups from getting universal access to high-quality education in the "new" South Africa. (Contains 1 table.)