Lebogang Maile’s State of Education briefing in Bryanston, Fourways, lands at a moment when Gauteng’s schooling system is under intense strain from rapid population growth, infrastructure decay, and recurring safety incidents. The Education MEC’s address, signals a department trying to project responsiveness while grappling with long‑standing systemic pressures.

Overcrowding as the Central Crisis

Maile’s briefing is framed by escalating concerns about overcrowded classrooms — a problem repeatedly highlighted by parents, School Governing Bodies (SGBs), and media reports. Gauteng’s rapid urbanisation and inward migration continue to place extraordinary pressure on school capacity.

At Bovet Primary School, for example, classrooms reportedly hold up to 80 learners, with some children sitting on the floor or on their school bags due to lack of furniture and space. Parents say they have raised these concerns “several times without a response.”

Policy signal: Maile committed to addressing infrastructure challenges and the “general state of education” in the province, promising a detailed response at the briefing. This suggests an attempt to reclaim public confidence after visible failures in learner placement and infrastructure delivery.

Infrastructure Backlogs and Slow Recovery

The MEC’s address is also shaped by the province’s chronic infrastructure backlog — a problem made visible by the repeated fires at Riverlea Secondary School. Five classrooms, including a laboratory and library, were destroyed in the latest incident.

Maile’s comments reveal two key concerns:

• Long delays in rebuilding: Some classrooms burnt in 2007 and 2025 still have not been renovated.

• Systemic vulnerability: This is the third fire in 19 years, raising questions about school safety, maintenance, and community tensions.

He argued that repairing existing structures is more cost‑effective than bringing in mobile classrooms — a notable shift from the department’s past reliance on temporary units.

Strong Rhetoric on School Safety and Community Accountability

Maile’s strongest language was reserved for condemning the Riverlea fire. He called the act “criminal” and “unjustifiable,” urging communities to isolate and confront those responsible. Schools should become “sacred” spaces, he said.

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His remarks also highlighted:

• Active community involvement, including SGB members, local leaders, and the CPF.

• A call for decisive action against individuals who damage school property.

Political reading: This rhetoric positions Maile as both tough on crime and aligned with community structures — a strategic stance given the political sensitivity of school safety in Gauteng.

Learner Placement and Systemic Pressure

The briefing context emphasises ongoing challenges with learner placement — a recurring annual crisis in Gauteng. The department acknowledges that the system is strained by population growth and migration, which outpaces school construction.

This structural pressure underpins nearly every issue Maile addressed:

• Overcrowding

• Infrastructure backlogs

• Safety risks

• Community frustration

The MEC’s address implicitly acknowledges that the province is struggling to keep pace with demand.

What the Address Suggests About the Department’s Direction

a) A reactive rather than proactive posture

Most of Maile’s commitments respond to crises already in the public eye — overcrowding complaints, school fires, and media scrutiny.

b) A shift toward community partnership

His emphasis on SGBs, parents, and local leaders suggests a recognition that the department cannot manage school safety and infrastructure alone.

c) A need for long‑term planning

The repeated fires at Riverlea and the chronic overcrowding at Bovet Primary point to deeper structural issues that cannot be solved through short‑term interventions.

d) Political positioning

Maile’s strong language and visible site visits signal a desire to project leadership and control in a politically sensitive portfolio.

Overall Assessment

Lebogang Maile’s State of Education address reflects a department under pressure but attempting to demonstrate responsiveness. His commitments to address overcrowding and infrastructure challenges are necessary, but the underlying issues — rapid population growth, slow infrastructure delivery, and school safety vulnerabilities — require long‑term, systemic solutions.

The MEC also used the word “inefficiencies” in the department and questioned whether his officials were “believable” around the over-crowding issue. But his address signals urgency. But whether it marks a turning point or another cycle of crisis‑response will depend on the department’s follow‑through in the months ahead. Action seemed to the be missing spark and Maile did not offer anything new!

©Higher Education Media Services.

On 13 April 2026, the University of Mauritius hosts a thought‑provoking research development workshop led by Professor Michael Anthony Samuel, a leading African scholar in higher education studies and doctoral education. Titled “On Religions and Paradigms: How Theoretical Lenses Shape Our Studies”, the workshop forms part of the Mauritius Research Development Programme and builds directly on the foundational work introduced in Workshop 1, which focused on the architecture of research proposals and reports through the Research Wheel.

This second workshop moves decisively to what Professor Samuel describes as the “intellectual heartbeat” of credible postgraduate research: the theoretical framework.

Rather than treating theory as an obligatory chapter to be completed after data collection, the workshop repositions theory as the animating force that shapes how research questions are framed, how reality is understood, and how meaning is produced from data.

In doing so, it confronts a pervasive misconception within postgraduate education—that research is primarily about tools, techniques, and procedures.

They possess foundational texts, authoritative thinkers, accepted rituals of practice, and boundaries that define what counts as legitimate knowledge. Just as religious traditions shape how believers interpret the world, research paradigms shape how scholars understand truth, knowledge, and the relationship between the researcher and the researched.

By exploring Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity alongside the dominant research paradigms of positivism, interpretivism, critical theory, and deconstructionism, the workshop surfaces both the possibilities and the constraints embedded in each paradigm. This comparative exercise is not designed to rank paradigms, but to make visible the often‑unspoken assumptions that guide research decisions. Participants are challenged to recognise that neutrality in research is an illusion, and that every study is already shaped by ontological, epistemological, and axiological commitments long before data are collected.

A key outcome of the workshop is a clarified understanding of the distinctions between conceptual frameworks, theoretical frameworks, and analytical frameworks—terms that are frequently conflated in postgraduate research reports. Professor Samuel provides practical guidance on the purposes a theoretical framework must serve: aligning the research questions to a paradigm, justifying methodological choices, and guiding interpretation during analysis. More importantly, participants are encouraged to develop the scholarly confidence to explicitly name, defend, and work within their paradigmatic home.

This intellectual work is situated within Professor Samuel’s broader scholarly commitment to transforming postgraduate education in Africa. A former Dean of Education at the University of KwaZulu‑Natal, a member of national policy committees, and a C1‑rated NRF researcher, Professor Samuel has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of supervision, knowledge production, and curriculum reform. His scholarship is marked by a refusal to simplify complexity and a deep commitment to southern and decolonial epistemologies that challenge inherited academic norms.

For Mauritian and regional postgraduate researchers, the workshop is especially resonant. Professor Samuel’s long‑standing engagement with Mauritius—including his work on teacher education and doctoral cohort partnerships—grounds the workshop in local realities while situating them within continental and global debates about knowledge, power, and research legitimacy. Supervisors and students alike are invited into a reflective space that values intellectual honesty, reflexivity, and ethical responsibility.

Opportunity to rethink research

Postgraduate researchers and supervisors are urged to participate actively in this workshop—not merely as a professional development exercise, but as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink how they inhabit their scholarly work. Those committed to producing research that is coherent, defensible, and transformative are called to engage with the paradigms that silently govern their inquiries. To attend this workshop is to accept the challenge of researching with greater intellectual courage, clarity, and purpose.

©Higher Education Media Services.

The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has in terms of section 8 of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, appointed Thabiso Lucas Thiti, as Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).

Thiti’s appointment is for a period of five (5) years, effective on 15 April 2026 and he replaces Advocate Pieter Smit, who has been Acting FIC Director since September 2023.

Minister Godongwana thanked Adv. Smit for his diligent stewardship during his tenure as Acting Director.

Thiti’s appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process undertaken since 2025 that culminated in a selection panel chaired by Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, recommending Thiti as the preferred candidate, the ministry said.

He is currently the Deputy Director General: Institutional Development and Support at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, a position he has held since April 2023.

Tithi brings over 20 years of senior executive experience in public service spans the trade and industry advisory, the Justice Cluster, national security and intelligence operations, strategic management and government leadership.

He also served as Head of the Office of Interception at the State Security Agency (SSA), from 2020 to 2023. Prior to that, he held several senior roles within the SSA over an 11-year period from 2006 to 2018.

During this time, he was directly involved in strategy, operations, and coordination in the broader criminal justice system.

Minister Godongwana expects Thiti to continue and deepen the vital work the FIC has done to combat illicit financial flows, organised crime, money laundering, and terrorism financing.

South Africa’s recent exit from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) greylist provided a key test for the FIC and the ecosystem of law enforcement agencies and government bodies tasked with safeguarding the integrity of the country’s financial system.

SA’s exit from the watch list, in less than three years, provided proof of the rapid reforms that can be achieved when regulators, policymakers, law-enforcement agencies and members of the financial sector cooperate to achieve a clear objective.

However, with a mutual evaluation by FATF due later this year, the country must continue to demonstrate progress in the effectiveness of investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions.

“Mr Thiti steps into this role at a pivotal time. We believe he has the requisite skill and experience to lead this critical institution. South Africa’s successful exit from the FATF greylist demonstrated the strength of collaboration between government, regulators, and the financial sector.

“Sustaining this momentum is paramount, and the FIC has a key role to play to ensure that South Africa’s financial system remains trusted, transparent, and globally competitive,” said Godongwana.

©Higher Education Media Services.

© Higher Education Media Services

The crisis over suspended Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu at University of Fort Hare (UFH) has taken a new twist.

Two serving Council members have written to their fellow councillors on 3 April warning of a governance crisis marked by contested authority, procedural strain and unresolved tensions at the very apex of decision‑making.

In a forthright letter circulated to fellow councillors, Judith Favish and Kuselwa Marala, both appointed members of Council, warn that emerging patterns threaten the integrity of governance at UFH.

“We wish to express our express our displeasure about several things pertaining to recent operations of Council. These revolve around:

1. The marginalisation of minority voices in Council;

2. Council overreach into operations and non-adherence to meeting procedures; and,

3. A growing tendency to establish task teams reporting to Exco for conducting the work of Council “

The letter states that the regional context of UFH, with its high levels of poverty and unemployment and limited opportunities in the formal labour market provides a context within which the contestations in Council and within the university community play out.

“The VC’s efforts to investigate and act against corruption have been widely applauded within and beyond the University but there are also many who are angered by these efforts for various reasons. We believe that the campaign mounted towards the end of 2025 demanding that “Buhlungu must go” cannot be disregarded as a factor that has contributed to the environment within which the Council operates and that is not healthy. “

The authors locate these tensions within UFH’s wider socio‑political context. Anchored in the Eastern Cape – a province defined by structural unemployment, deep poverty and limited economic opportunity – the university is inevitably enmeshed in contestation and competing interests. These pressures, they argue, have intensified following Professor Buhlungu’s high‑profile drive to confront corruption, a stance widely applauded but also generating resistance within parts of the institution and beyond.

Against this backdrop, the late‑2025 campaign calling for “Buhlungu must go” is presented in the letter as a destabilising undercurrent shaping Council deliberations. The campaign, they suggest, cannot be divorced from recent governance decisions or from the increasingly charged environment in which they are taken.

The immediate flashpoint centres on Council’s handling of disciplinary steps arising from a breach of Section 19(1) of the UFH Statute in executive appointments – a violation first disclosed by the Vice‑Chancellor himself. While Council unanimously agreed that disciplinary action was necessary against all implicated parties, unity fractured over the proposal to place Buhlungu on precautionary suspension.

Supporters of suspension framed it as a neutral administrative step. Opponents argued it was disproportionate, given the Vice‑Chancellor’s voluntary disclosure, absence of malice and the already fragile institutional climate. More troubling for the letter’s authors, however, was the process: refusal to entertain a counter‑proposal, insistence on a single motion, and resistance to recording that the decision was taken by majority vote rather than consensus.

Similar concerns were raised over the structuring of a Vice‑Chancellor selection panel and revised recruitment procedures that expanded political and stakeholder representation while shrinking the role of academics and students – decisions critics warned risk politicising the process and undermining institutional autonomy.

At its core, the letter is less an act of dissent than an appeal. Favish and Marala reject characterisations of themselves as an “old guard”, insisting they support innovation but not at the expense of procedural fairness and transparent governance.

As UFH stands at a critical crossroads, grappling with leadership, accountability and direction, the warning is stark: expedience cannot substitute for due process. A strong Council, the authors argue, is one that can accommodate dissent, deliberate rigorously, and safeguard the long‑term integrity of one of South Africa’s most storied universities.

UFH Council Chair Dr Siyanda Makaula said last week that Deputy Vice‑Chancellor for Research, Partnerships and Innovation, Dr Nthabi Taole‑Mjimba, was appointed Acting Vice‑Chancellor with immediate effect.

The appointment follows the council’s decision to place Prof Buhlungu on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of a disciplinary process linked to findings of a forensic investigation into executive appointments.

In a statement to the university community, council chairperson Dr Makaula said the appointment was intended to ensure stability and continuity in the institution’s operations while due process unfolds.

Dr Taole‑Mjimba will serve in the acting role until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

Comment could not be obtained from the Council chair at the time of writing.

©Higher Education Media Services.

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) Council has appointed Deputy Vice‑Chancellor for Research, Partnerships and Innovation, Dr Nthabi Taole‑Mjimba, as Acting Vice‑Chancellor with immediate effect.

The appointment follows the council’s decision to place Vice‑Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of a disciplinary process linked to findings of a forensic investigation into executive appointments.

In a statement to the university community, council chairperson Dr Siyanda Makaula said the appointment was intended to ensure stability and continuity in the institution’s operations while due process unfolds. Dr Taole‑Mjimba will serve in the acting role until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

The council emphasised that the precautionary suspension does not constitute a finding of guilt and that the university remains committed to principles of procedural fairness and good governance.

According to the council, the acting appointment is aimed at maintaining institutional stability, safeguarding academic operations, and reassuring staff and students during the period of transition.

The council has assured the university community that governance systems remain intact and that all processes will be conducted in line with institutional policies and principles of due process.

©Higher Education Media Services.

Gauteng Health Hosts World TB Awareness Day in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is commemorating World Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Day on Tuesday 31 March in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni to strengthen efforts to combat TB within communities and accelerate progress toward ending the epidemic.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease that remains a major global health concern. However, it is curable when detected early and treated effectively with the appropriate medication.

Through this event, the Department seeks to intensify awareness and education on HIV/TB Preventive Therapy (TPT) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), while promoting increased screening, reducing stigma and encouraging treatment adherence.

March is observed annually as TB Awareness Month to reinforce global efforts to end the epidemic. This year’s theme, “Yes! We Can End TB!!”, highlights the importance of strong leadership, increased investment and multisectoral collaboration in achieving this goal. The event coincides with the closing period of TB Awareness Month, providing a platform to mobilise communities and stakeholders in the fight against TB.

The event will also serve to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders, including government departments and civil society organisations, to support the End TB Campaign and contribute toward achieving its targets.

The Ekurhuleni District, host of this year’s provincial commemoration, continues to face significant TB-related challenges, including declining TB case detection, high loss-to-follow-up (LTFU) rates particularly in the South subdistrict, high HIV/TB co-infection rates, low TPT initiation among HIV-positive clients and gaps in TB screening and diagnostic testing.

In response, the campaign will focus on increasing TB case finding through Digital Chest X-Ray (DCXR), tracking and tracing patients lost to follow-up and linking them back to care and scaling up targeted TB testing among high-risk groups.

These high-risk groups include people living with chronic conditions such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, lung and kidney diseases and malnutrition, as well as individuals previously infected with TB, the elderly, young children and those in close contact with untreated TB patients.

©Higher Education Media Services.

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) Council has placed Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu on precautionary suspension with full pay, pending the outcome of a formal disciplinary process arising from the findings of a forensic investigation.

In a letter dated 31 March 2026, signed by Dr Siyanda Makaula, Chairperson of the UFH Council, Professor Buhlungu was informed that Council had considered his written representations, the forensic investigation report, and “all relevant circumstances” before reaching its decision.

The context behind the current goings-on relates to the appointment of senior executives without it being ratified by Senate and Council. When the oversight was discovered, Prof Buhlungu alerted council to the missteps and sought to rectify it. But the Council allegedly ignored the findings in the report into the matter which found no wrong-doing and still went ahead with the suspension.

University insiders say the “knives have been out” for Prof Buhlungu since his efforts to clean up the university has led to several investigations currently underway before the Special Investigating Unit.

According to the letter, the suspension follows serious allegations, including findings of irregularities in the appointment processes of two Executive Directors. Council has resolved to institute formal disciplinary proceedings against the Vice-Chancellor.

The decision was taken in terms of the University’s Employee Relations Policy, which allows for precautionary suspension where an employee’s continued presence may jeopardise investigations, pose risks to governance processes, or create the potential for interference with witnesses, documentation, or evidence.

Council stated that it was of the view that Professor Buhlungu’s continued presence in office could reasonably give rise to risks of interference with potential witnesses or institutional records, and that the nature of the allegations implicates senior management decision-making and oversight structures at the university.

The suspension, which takes immediate effect, is described as a holding measure and does not constitute a disciplinary sanction. It will remain in force until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, unless lifted earlier by Council.

During the suspension period, Professor Buhlungu is required to refrain from entering university premises without prior written approval, avoid contact with staff, students, service providers or stakeholders on matters related to the investigation, and make available any university property or documents required for the disciplinary process. He remains obligated to attend the disciplinary hearing once formally convened.

Council indicated that formal notice of the disciplinary hearing, including the charges and logistical details, will be issued separately in line with university policy. Professor Buhlungu’s employment contract remains in force during the suspension.

The letter was also copied to Dr Yoliswa Mancotywa, Deputy Chairperson of the UFH Council.

On 20 March, the Chair issued a Council statement regarding the forensic investigation into the appointment of two Executive Directors at the University of Fort Hare

The statement said following the conclusion of a forensic investigation into alleged irregularities pertaining in the appointment process of two Executive Directors at the University of Fort Hare, Council convened a special meeting on 19 March 2026. Council duly considered the findings and recommendations contained in the report.

The investigation has determined that four senior management employees, through their involvement in various capacities, failed to comply with requirements of Section 19.1 of the University Statute, in that Council approval was not obtained when the appointments of the Executive Director: Infrastructure and Technology as well as the Executive Director: People Management and Engagement, were made. In light of these findings, Council has unanimously resolved that appropriate disciplinary action be imposed against the implicated employees.

In accordance with Section 10.1 of the UFH Employee Relations and Procedures, “Where the policies, norms, values, standards and principles of the University of Fort Hare have been violated the university has the right, through the disciplinary procedure, to apply appropriate corrective action in a fair manner”.

©Higher Education Media Services.

When Rhodes University announced it would confer an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) on Leleti Khumalo, the news landed with a quiet power — much like the woman herself. For decades, South Africans have watched her embody the country’s pain, defiance and hope. But for Khumalo, this recognition is not just about a career. It is about what storytelling has meant to her life.

“It still humbles me,” she has often said in interviews. “I never set out to be famous. I just wanted to tell the truth of where I come from.”

That truth began in KwaMashu, where community theatre offered her a stage long before the world knew her name. It was there that she learned what performance could do — not just entertain, but awaken. That instinct would later define her role as Sarafina, the character that carried her from Durban to Broadway and into global consciousness. Her portrayal introduced the world to the courage of South African youth during apartheid, earning her a Tony Award nomination and cementing her place in cultural history .

But Khumalo’s reaction to the global acclaim has always been grounded: “Sarafina wasn’t about me. It was about us — our struggle, our voices, our dignity.”

That humility has shaped every role since. In Yesterday, she carried the weight of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with a quiet, devastating honesty. The film became the first South African production to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, but Khumalo’s focus remained on the women whose stories inspired it. “I wanted people to see their strength,” she has said.

Her work across Hotel Rwanda, Invictus, Generations, Uzalo and Imbewu has continued that thread — performances rooted in dignity, resilience and the lived realities of ordinary South Africans .

For Khumalo, storytelling has always been a form of service.

“I act so people can feel seen,” she once explained. “If someone watches a story and says, ‘That is my life,’ then I’ve done my job.”

It is this ethos — not just her talent — that Rhodes University is recognising. Her honorary doctorate acknowledges not only her artistic achievements, but her role in shaping South Africa’s social conscience through narrative, emotion and truth-telling .

As she prepares to address the graduating class on 25 March 2026, Khumalo’s message is likely to echo the values she has lived: courage, compassion and the belief that stories can heal.

Because for Leleti Khumalo, storytelling has never been performance. It has been a way of holding a mirror to a nation — and helping it see itself with honesty and hope.

©Higher Education Media Services.

The KwaZulu-Natal Working Group on Child Sexual Violence (Working Group) will, on Monday, 23 March 2026, meet with the Office of the Premier Thami Ntuli, to present a comprehensive set of findings and recommendations aimed at strengthening the provincial response to child sexual violence and adolescent pregnancy.

The Working Group comprises the South African Human Rights Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, the Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Rights Commission, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and experts from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The engagement comes after the October 2025 launch of the Premier’s Multisectoral Strategy to Curb Child and Teenage Pregnancies (2025–2029) and will highlight critical systemic gaps in policy, reporting mechanisms, data coordination, and implementation frameworks.

The Working Group’s intervention builds on national-level engagements, including stakeholder presentations to the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, chaired by Liezel Van Der Merwe, in late 2025.

These engagements highlighted similar concerns regarding fragmented state responses, inadequate accountability mechanisms, and the need for a coordinated, rights-based approach across all spheres of government.

The upcoming meeting with the Premier represents a critical opportunity to align provincial interventions with these national oversight processes and to ensure that KwaZulu-Natal’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy evolves into a more gender-transformative, evidence-based, and implementation-driven framework.

The Working Group said it notes and welcomes ongoing efforts by the Deputy Minister in the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Steve Letsike, aimed at addressing sexual violence against girl children.

These efforts form part of a broader national strategy to reinforce and revitalise South Africa’s National Gender Machinery, ensuring improved coordination, accountability, and impact across government departments and social partners, it said.

In its engagement with the Premier, the Working Group will emphasise the following priorities:

• Strengthening mandatory reporting, referral, and monitoring systems for child sexual violence

• Addressing gaps in policy coherence and legislative frameworks, particularly in relation to the age of consent and reporting obligations

• Ensuring integrated, multi-sectoral coordination across health, education, justice, and social development sectors

• Advancing gender-transformative interventions that address harmful social norms and power imbalances

• Enhancing accountability mechanisms for both perpetrators and state actors who fail to respond adequately

• Embedding robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track implementation and impact.

The Working Group said it remains committed to working collaboratively with all partners to ensure that policy commitments translate into meaningful change on the ground.

©Higher Education Media Services.

Parliamentary documents submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education point to serious governance and labour tensions at the University of Pretoria (UP), with multiple stakeholder groups warning that internal accountability systems have weakened and staff concerns are going unheard.

The submissions — including Joint Labour, Lived Realities, the Institutional Forum and UP’s own presentation — describe “deep internal fractures” within the institution and argue that Parliament’s intervention signals that “something is fundamentally amiss” .

The documents highlight staff experiences as a central indicator of institutional health, stating that “governance is not what an institution claims on paper. Governance is what people live” and warning that internal redress mechanisms “have lost legitimacy” . They also note rare cross‑party agreement among ANC, DA, EFF and MKP committee members, describing it as evidence that confidence in university governance is “eroding across the political spectrum” .

The submissions argue that UP’s case reflects broader systemic issues in the sector, including “transformation fatigue,” “labour precarity,” and “institutional cultures that remain hierarchical and brittle” .

The documents call for urgent reforms, including “radical transparency,” “human‑centred leadership,” and treating labour as “a strategic partner,” warning that when staff grievances reach Parliament, “the institution has already lost control of the narrative” .

©Higher Education Media Services.

The South African Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) says it has noted with concern statements and messages on social media platforms, encouraging members of the public to rush to filling stations because of a perceived fuel shortage and anticipated fuel price increases.

DMPR says calls for the public to rush to the pumps are irresponsible and they place undue pressure on supply systems, congestion at service stations, and anxiety among consumers, it said in a statement released on Friday.

“The Department urges all organisations, public representatives, commentators and social media users to act responsibly and to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative claims regarding fuel supply and fuel price developments.

“Members of the public are encouraged to continue purchasing fuel in the normal course and to rely on official government communication for accurate and verified information”.

The DMPR concedes, however, that while there may be isolated localised logistical challenges affecting the movement or availability of fuel in certain areas, it points out that these are operational in nature and do not constitute a national supply shortage.

These issues are being actively managed through established industry and regulatory channels, it says.

“It is therefore incorrect and misleading to link such isolated domestic logistical matters to broader geopolitical developments. Such claims risk creating unnecessary alarm and confusion among the public.

“The Department and Fuels Industry Association wish to firmly reiterate that South Africa’s fuel supply remains stable in the immediate term, and there is no basis for panic-buying.

“The Department and the Fuels Industry Association will continue to monitor the situation closely and will communicate any confirmed developments through official channels,” it says.

Consumers who experience fuel-related challenges or wish to lodge complaints are encouraged to report these to fuel.complaints@dmpr.gov.za, enabling the department’s inspectors to respond and intervene where necessary.

©Higher Education Media Services.

There is a dangerous silence creeping into our classrooms. Across many education systems, history is increasingly treated as optional, a subject pushed aside in favour of maths, science and technology.

In doing so, don’t we risk producing generations who can code machines but do not understand the struggles, sacrifices and courage that shaped the societies they live in?

History is not just about memorising dates, deaths or distant wars. It is about identity. It is about moral memory. It is about understanding how people, often under extraordinary oppression, found the courage to resist injustice.

Few stories illustrate this more powerfully than that of Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana, a woman whose courage continues to echo across Africa’s liberation history.

Born around 1862 in what is now Zimbabwe, Nehanda was a revered svikiro, spirit medium, of the Zezuru Shona people.

During the late 19th century, when the British South Africa Company began imposing colonial rule across the region, seizing land and dismantling indigenous systems of governance, Nehanda emerged as a powerful voice of resistance.

Her influence was not rooted in political office or military command. It came from something deeper: spiritual authority and moral conviction. She mobilised communities to resist colonial domination during the First Chimurenga uprising.

Colonial authorities eventually crushed the rebellion. Nehanda was captured and accused of involvement in the killing of a colonial official.

In 1898, she was tried by the colonial court in Salisbury [now Harare] and sentenced to death.

At the age of about 60, Nehanda walked to the gallows with extraordinary dignity. Missionaries reportedly urged her to renounce her beliefs before her execution. She refused.

Before she was hanged on April 27, 1898, she is said to have declared words that would become prophetic for generations of liberation fighters: “Mapfupa angu achamuka [My bones shall rise again].”

Decades later, as Zimbabwe’s independence movement gathered momentum, her words became a rallying cry, a symbol of spiritual resistance and national awakening.

But the story of Nehanda is about more than Zimbabwe. It speaks to a broader truth that history books too often overlook: women have always been architects of social transformation. From spiritual leaders to organisers of resistance movements, women have stood at the moral centre of struggles for justice. Yet their stories are frequently marginalised, simplified or omitted altogether.

When we fail to teach these histories in our schools, we do more than neglect the past. We deny young people the opportunity to see courage in all its forms.

Students deserve to know that resistance is not always loud. Sometimes it is carried in the quiet resolve of a woman who refuses to bow before an empire.

Teaching history also serves another vital purpose: it protects societies from repeating their worst mistakes. Colonialism, racism, exploitation and oppression did not disappear with time. They were challenged and dismantled through sacrifice and struggle.

Without historical understanding, freedom begins to look inevitable rather than hard-won. And when freedom is taken for granted, it becomes dangerously fragile.

Our classrooms should therefore not only teach the names of presidents and generals. They should teach the names of women like Nehanda — women who held communities together when institutions collapsed, who inspired courage when fear threatened to silence a people.

History is not a luxury subject. It is civic education. It is ethical training. It is the foundation of democratic consciousness. A society that forgets its history risks losing its soul.

When young people no longer know the stories of those who resisted injustice before them, they might struggle to recognise injustice when it appears again.

The lesson from Nehanda’s life is clear: courage can emerge from unexpected places and the voices that shape history are not always those who sit in palaces or parliaments.

Sometimes they are our grandmothers. Sometimes they are healers. Sometimes they are women standing quietly at the centre of a people’s struggle, reminding a nation that dignity is worth defending.

Imagine what Africa would look like today if every woman who organised resistance, preserved culture, sheltered freedom fighters

or inspired communities had been written into the national narrative with the same weight and recognition as men.

What if the archives had listened more carefully to the voices of grandmothers, spirit mediums, organisers and mothers of revolutions? What if every heroine who shaped the moral backbone of a nation had been recorded truthfully, factually and unapologetically?

Perhaps the Africa we imagine would be a continent that understands its own strength more clearly, recognising that its foundations were not built by a few celebrated figures but by generations of courageous women and men whose names history must remember — a history where every heroine is visible, where truth is restored and where the full story of a nation is finally told.

If we want future generations to understand the price of freedom, we must ensure that these stories are not forgotten. For when a nation forgets its heroines, it begins to forget itself.

Cathay Yenana is a South African media professional, strategist, social activist and board member of the June 16 1976 Foundation.© Higher Education Media Services. This was published on the site Mail & Guardian

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep sadness at the passing of former chief legal advisor to President Nelson Mandela, human rights lawyer and United Nations representative Nicholas ‘Fink’ Haysom.

Reports say Haysom passed away on Wednesday 18 March, at the age of 73, and Ramaphosa extended his condolences to his family and friends, his former colleagues in The Presidency and government as well as his associates on the continent.

Haysom served as chief legal and constitutional advisor to President Mandela from 1994 to 1999. He chaired a committee that negotiated constitutional principles in the Burundi Peace Process under Mandela.

He was a mediator and advisor in the Sudan Peace Process and served the United Nations in different roles, including as Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, Somalia, and South Sudan. He also headed the UN Mission in Iraq.

President Ramaphosa said: “Today we mourn a distinguished diplomat and a pioneer of our democratic administration whose commitment to justice and peace made our country, our continent and the world a better place.

“I remember him for applying his legal acumen, mentorship, wisdom and integrity to the development of our Constitution – attributes that underscored his role in peace-making on our continent and in other world regions.

“As we commemorate Human Rights Month, we pay tribute to Fink for his dedication to human rights and the dignity of all people in all the parts of the world where his guidance was deeply respected and sought-after.

“We reflect on the rich breadth of his life of law, scholarship and creativity, which established him as a writer and, in 1987, as South African Playwright of the Year.

“We are obligated to honour his contribution to our nation and the international community by upholding the fundamental rights and maintaining the peace he advocated so passionately and eloquently.”

The UN also said in a statement on Wednesday it mourns the loss of Haysom who became a tireless champion of crisis diplomacy for the UN in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid tribute to Haysom expressing his deep sadness at his passing and described him as a “tireless peacemaker and steadfast champion of the values of the United Nations.”

“Mr Haysom devoted his life to justice, dialogue, and reconciliation,” the UN chief said, from his central role in South Africa’s democratic transition to ‘years of leadership in UN posts in some of the world’s most complex and fragile settings.”

Guterres said Haysom always combined deep legal insight with sound political judgement - focused always on improving the lives of ordinary people wherever he served.

“The United Nations mourns the loss of a remarkable colleague, friend and mentor. The legacy of Nicholas Haysom will endure in the peace processes he advances, the institutions he strengthened, and the principles he helped bring to life around the world,” he said.

©Higher Education Media Services.

With youth unemployment soaring past 60%, CHIETA’s “One Graduate, One Placement” campaign reframes skills development around real employment outcomes, not just training credentials.

South Africa’s labour market is reaching a breaking point, with structural unemployment tightening its grip on economic participation—especially among young people. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa, the official unemployment rate hovered around 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, a stark reminder of the economic pressures confronting households nationwide.

Even more concerning is the reality facing young people: over 60% of South Africans aged 15 to 24 remain unemployed, highlighting the widening divide between educational achievement and access to meaningful work.

Against this backdrop, the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) is intensifying its “One Graduate, One Placement” campaign—a bold, outcomes-driven initiative designed to close the distance between qualifications and employment.

This campaign marks a decisive shift in CHIETA’s approach. Instead of measuring success through the number of graduates trained, CHIETA is prioritising what truly matters: full‑time placements, sustainable work opportunities, and stronger employer partnerships.

CHIETA Chief Executive Officer Yershen Pillay says the country can no longer afford the persistent disconnect between education systems and economic realities.

With economic growth slowing to between 1% and 1.5% in recent years, employer absorption has weakened, compounding the pressure on new entrants to the labour market. CHIETA believes that coordinated action across the skills ecosystem is essential to prevent graduates from falling into long‑term unemployment.

Through its revitalised campaign, CHIETA is shining a spotlight on success stories, scaling partnerships with industry, and urging organisations across sectors to expand graduate placements. The message is clear: South Africa must pivot from training as a tick‑box exercise to placement as the core measure of impact.

One powerful example is Tashriefah Wilson, who completed an NQF Level 4 qualification as a Chemical Plant Operator through CHIETA support and secured full‑time employment at Jatun Paints in the Western Cape. Her journey demonstrates what becomes possible when training providers and employers collaborate with purpose.

“It is one graduate off the street and into a decent job. One life changed. One family supported. But beyond the individual, it strengthens economic participation and restores confidence in the skills development system,” Pillay added.

The campaign also aligns with CHIETA’s expanded support for retrenched workers. More than 350 retrenched workers have already transitioned into new employment opportunities, with a target of 1 000 placements by December 2026.

Pillay emphasises that tackling unemployment requires redefining what success looks like within South Africa’s skills ecosystem.

As South Africa confronts the dual challenges of persistent unemployment and slow economic expansion, CHIETA is preparing to shift its business model from grants for training to grants for placements, ensuring that every investment contributes directly to employment creation.

© Higher Education Media Services

Tributes and condolences have been expressed by many South Africans, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and scores of political parties - after the death from ill health - of struggle veteran, anti-apartheid activist and former United Democratic leader Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota on Wednesday, at the age of 77.

Lekota, born in Kroonstad, Free State in 1948 was among the treason trialists in the famous Delmas Trial which started in 1985 and ended in 1988 after his conviction and sentence to Robben Island. He was released in 1989, however, when his sentence was overturned.

Lekota then joined the ANC government after the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and was appointed the ANC’s Chief of Intelligence in 1991. After the first democratic elections, he became the Premier of the Free State from 1994 until 1996.

He was appointed Minister of Defence under former President Thabo Mbeki from 1999 to 2008. After Mbeki was ousted in Polokwane, Lekota left the ANC to join COPE (Congress of the People) which he co-founded with Mbhazima Shilowa.

Among those who paid tribute to Lekota is the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo, who sent his condolences to the family, friends and members of COPE on the passing of its founder Lekota.

Mahumapelo said Lekota has left behind a legacy of activism and service, and his name is synonymous with courage, resilience and dedication to the people of South Africa.

“As a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle, Mr Lekota’s life has been a testament to the power of conviction and the pursuit of justice.

“His contributions to the fight against apartheid, including his time on Robben Island, are a testament to his unshakeable resolve. As a leader, Mr Lekota has inspired countless individuals to join the struggle for freedom and equality.

“His post-apartheid work includes his roles as Minister of Defence and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, which showcased his ability to serve and lead with integrity. Mr Lekota also served on the Portfolio Committee of International Relations and Cooperation with diligence and commitment.

“A true patriot, Mr Lekota’s legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of activism, public service and the ongoing pursuit of a better life for all. His impact will be felt for generations to come,” said Mr Mahumapelo.

Lekota is survived by his wife Cynthia Lekota and their four children.

©Higher Education Media Services

In his budget speech today Finance Minister Enoch Godongwane painted a picture of optimism saying the country has reached a turning point in the management of public finances.

Godongwane pointed out that South Africa had overcome the hollowing out of state coffers through state capture, greylisting, Covid-19 and being downgraded to junk status to be where the country is now.

The minister said for the first time in 17 years debt will stabilise and will continue to fall in the coming years. He said the debt deficit has also narrowed significantly and debt-service costs have come down.

The consolidated budget deficit has narrowed to 4.5% of GDP for 2025/26, an improvement from 4.8 per cent that we estimated in the 2025 Budget. The deficit falls to 4% in 2026/27 and 3.1% the year after.

The world has taken notice:

• South Africa has been removed from the FATF grey list;

• We secured our first credit rating upgrade in 16 years;

• And borrowing costs have eased, creating space for growth and development.

“These are signals of restored credibility. Of renewed resilience. And of a nation regaining its footing. The lesson is a simple but powerful one: steady structural reform and responsible public finances are the bedrock of a prosperous and more inclusive South Africa,” he said.

The minister has increased spending for 2026/2027 to R2.67 trillion with education being allocated the lion’s share of the budget at 23.7%.

Basic Education

In terms of consolidated expenditure, spending on education remains the largest component at 23.7% over the medium term, he said.

Basic education receives R22.7 billion for carry-through costs announced in May 2025. Early childhood development receives the majority of these funds.

R9.9 billion supports employee compensation and other pressures in education.

Early childhood development grant receives an additional R12.8 billion over the next three years, expanding service to an additional 300 000 children.

This will also maintain the increased per child, per-day subsidy of R24 introduced in 2025/26.

The increased allocations align the National School Nutrition Programme to food inflation to continue providing meals to over 9.9 million learners in almost 20 000 schools.

Additional allocations to the provincial equitable share include R342 million to progressively equalise Grade R teacher pay, R340 million for the early retirement and voluntary exit programme, and R319 million for the presidential employment initiative.

Health

Godongwane allocated R26 billion to provinces to bolster our HIV/AIDS programme such as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and the provision of anti-retro virals.

As part of the targeted and responsible savings initiative, provinces will repurpose some of their funding to meet obligations towards PEPFAR. This follows the funding withdrawal by the United States.

R21.3 billion is allocated to the health sector over the medium term for the compensation and employment of doctors, and to make up for shortfalls in goods and services expenditure.

Godongwane said while the world economic growth is projected by 3,3% in 2026, South Africa’s economic growth is projected at 1,6% this year, a slight improvement from 2025’s estimated 1,4%.

Over the medium term, growth is expected to average 1.8 per cent, reaching 2 per cent by 2028.

So optimistic is Godongwane for the future of our fiscas that he announced that the government will withdraw the R20 billion tax increase provisionally included in the 2025 budget.

For 2025/26, the gross tax revenue is revised up by R21.3 billion compared to the estimate in the 2025 Budget.

Higher-than-expected net VAT, corporate income tax and dividends tax collections, improved the in-year outlook.

“The improving fiscal position allows us enough room to withdraw the proposed tax increases, without putting fiscal sustainability or economic activity at risk”.

Godongwane increased taxes on alcohol and cigarettes and also hiked the fuel levy by 6c a litre for diesel and 5c a litre for petrol, while also upping the Road Accident Levy by 7c a litre.

©Higher Education Media Services

Delivering his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Monday, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi first dealt with the contentious issue of water cuts affecting scores of households that led to protests as irate residents took the streets.

Lesufi was at pains to explain that last month, unexpected water shortages occurred after an explosion at the Rand Water plant caused a transmission machine to catch fire leading up to burst water pipes.

However, Lesufi said the area affected by the explosion was fixed within 72 hours, the fire extinguished and burst pipes repaired. But water levels were still badly affected which led to the protests.

This prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene, and he told the water and sanitation minister and her deputy to skip the State of the Nation Address in Cape Town and attend to the water crisis.

According to Lesufi the water ministry had to give an extraordinary proclamation to allow Rand Water to immediately extract more water from the Vaal River Integrated Water System.

The Premier went on to give a blow-by-blow account of areas that were affected and how far the water restoration process was with some areas reportedly having stable water supplies while flow to others has been partially restored.

However, Lesufi said a R760 million massive infrastructure investment upgrade is underway in COJ over a phased approach, where construction of a new ground reservoir and tower in Brixton is underway and will go live by the coming Saturday to improve supply.

“In response to this crisis, we will build an emergency boosting pumping station which will go live this week to ensure that these areas are covered with water. The permanent solution will be realised once the construction of the 5km pipeline is concluded at the end of the year”.

“Furthermore, the national government is assisting us in realising the return on investment made, so that the people of Hammanskraal, Bronkhorspruit, Kokosi, Fochville, Kwa-Thema and other areas can have their dignity restored.

“But let me be clear, the challenge is not water availability, but the interruptions caused by infrastructure failures, leaks and high-demand peaks. We are working as the three

spheres of government to fix the water challenges in our province. We are about to conclude the expansion of our water infrastructure so that we can be ready to receive additional water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, thus cementing our water security permanently”.

Lesufi also spoke about Gauteng’s approach to economic growth and job creation by reindustrialisation of the province, boosting township economies and local enterprises.

He also acknowledged that for the Gauteng economy to grow, the provincial government must first tackle crime, corruption, lawlessness, improve infrastructure and accelerate service delivery.

On a positive note, Lesufi said Gauteng has managed to attract R27 billion in Foreign Direct Investment from a diverse set of countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Australia, Cyprus, the USA and the UAE, underscoring international confidence in this province as South Africa’s primary investment and industrial hub.

On e-tolls, the Premier said Gauteng EXCO has adopted the Transport Master plan which will open new roads in the province to ease morning and afternoon traffic congestion.

“The Provincial Government took a deliberate decision to assume responsibility for the e-toll debt to relieve residents of the financial burden and open our roads for maintenance. To date, the province has paid over R9 billion towards the total e-toll debt of R20.086 billion.

“Those who came before us in 2012 saw the need to go to the private market to secure funding for R27 billion to build the Gautrain. By the end of March this year, the private sector will hand over to us the R52 billion infrastructure fully owned by the people of Gauteng. To maximise this investment later this year, we will resume the process to expand Gautrain to Soweto, Mamelodi, Springs, Atteridgeville, Fourways, etc”.

©Higher Education Media Services

The Nelspruit Magistrates Court in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, has this morning granted bail to five of the 36 suspects arrested by the Hawks on allegations of defrauding the provincial education department of an estimated R113 million.

More than 30 accused asked for bail, one of them, Palesa Thela (29) who was in custody together with her parents, was granted a R50 000 bail. She told the court through her attorney she is a mother to an infant who is breastfed, the SABC reported.

The 36 suspects are part of 40 suspects some of whom are family members, sought by the Hawks, according to a provincial Hawks spokesperson. He said there were also 17 entities linked to the 40 suspects making it 57 companies. “Plus there are 21 directors, which are then associated with those entities and that brings it up to the total of 69 companies”.

The spokesperson said the charges differ from person to person with fraud, money laundering, corruption and there will be a lot more charges leveled against the accused. The crimes date back from 2018 and 2019.

©Higher Education Media Services

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) says while recent crime statistics reflect marginal declines across several major crime categories, the “absolute levels of violence remain catastrophically high and reflect the deep social and economic crisis confronting the working class”.

SAFTU’s response comes after last the release of 3rd Quarter crime statistics (October to December 2025) by the Minister of Police last Friday, which reflected “marginal declines” across several major crime categories but still a high number of violent crimes including murder and rape.

According to the SAPS statistics, South Africa recorded:

• 6,953 murders in just three months, an average of 76 people killed every day

• 11,481 rapes approximately 125 rapes every day

• 7,710 attempted murders

• 49,418 cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm

• 42,969 residential burglaries

• 5,973 car hijackings

• 6,505 robberies at residential premises

These figures confirm that millions of working-class households continue to live under daily siege from violence, robbery, and insecurity, says SAFTU in a statement.

“Even though murders declined by 8.7%, rape by 2.7%, and car hijackings by 4.1%, these marginal declines do not alter the fundamental reality that South Africa remains engulfed in a deep social crisis.

“At the current rate, South Africa remains on course to record nearly 28,000 murders annually, placing it among the most violent societies in the world outside of active war zones”.

SAFTU also laments the destruction of working-class families driven by mass unemployment, saying the crime crisis reflects the destruction of the economic foundations of working-class families.

According to Statistics South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q4 2025), approximately 12.4 million people are unemployed on the expanded definition.

This means millions of families have no stable breadwinner capable of sustaining entire households and lifting families out of poverty, says SAFTU.

Historically, working-class families depended on stable employment to provide economic security, social stability, and hope for future generations. That foundation has been systematically destroyed.

SAFTU also notes that without stable breadwinners, family stability collapses, poverty becomes entrenched, social cohesion weakens, young people are abandoned to insecurity and hopelessness and crime thrives in such conditions of exclusion and social breakdown.

Teenage pregnancy also reflects deepening social collapse with approximately 100,000 births annually among teenage mothers aged 15–19, representing approximately 12% of all births nationally. Over the past decade, more than 1.2 million children have been born to teenage mothers.

“Teenage pregnancy is both a consequence and driver of poverty. It often leads to school dropout, lifetime unemployment, and intergenerational poverty.

Children are forced to raise children, reinforcing the vicious cycle of deprivation and social instability.

“The education system is excluding millions and even those who succeed are blocked from further education”.

SAFTU quotes Department of Basic Education figures showing that of

733,198 learners who wrote matric in 2025, 656,601 passed and 278,814 achieved bachelor passes qualifying for university admission.

Yet the post-school education system lacks capacity:

• Public universities can admit only approximately 200,000 new students annually

• TVET colleges admit approximately 300,000–350,000 students annually

“This leaves at least 150,000 to 200,000 matric graduates excluded from tertiary education every year, including many who qualify academically. These young people are pushed directly into unemployment.

“The education system is not functioning as a pathway out of poverty. It is reproducing inequality. Crime is the predictable outcome of structural economic exclusion and cannot be separated from the structure of the South African economy.

“A society that excludes 12.4 million people from employment, sidelines hundreds of thousands of youth from education annually, and concentrates wealth in the hands of a small elite cannot avoid social breakdown.

Crime is a symptom of systemic economic failure”.

SAFTU called for the fundamental restructuring of the economy to meet human needs and create jobs

“SAFTU reiterates its core demand, as articulated in its Section 77 campaign, that the South African economy must be fundamentally overhauled so that it is based on meeting the basic needs of the population, foremost among these is the right to decent work”.

©Higher Education Media Services.