CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

IN my address to the second Presidential Summit on Gender-based Violence and Femicide at the beginning of this month, I said that we are a nation at war with itself.

This is borne out by the crime statistics for the last quarter, which were released last week, just ahead of the start of the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.

Between July and September this year, 989 women were murdered, 1,277 were victims of attempted murder and more than 13,000 were victims of serious assault. In just these three months, more than 10,000 rape cases were opened with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Not even children, our most vulnerable citizens and most deserving of our care and protection, were spared. In the six months to September 2022, over 500 children were killed.

We are in the grip of terrible crimes in which offenders are known to the victims. Women and children are being violated not only by strangers but by people who are known to them – by their fathers, boyfriends and husbands, by colleagues, teachers and even classmates.

However, as a society, we are not powerless to stop these crimes. We can stop gender-based violence.

Over the last few years, there has been a growing mobilisation of all sectors of society to stop the abuse of women and children. There have been some areas of progress.

The latest crime statistics show some of the successes of the criminal justice system in bringing perpetrators to book. In the reporting period, the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units arrested over 4,000 alleged perpetrators of gender-based violence and 410 alleged rapists were traced and arrested.

More than 17,000 trial-ready GBV cases were processed by teams of the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority. The courts are also handing down heavier sentences to perpetrators.

While we should be encouraged that many of the perpetrators are not being allowed to get away with their crimes, our foremost task is to prevent men and boys from becoming abusers in the first place.

Men are the perpetrators of gender-based violence and it is therefore men that need to change. It is men – as husbands and partners, as fathers, colleagues, peers and classmates – who need to consider their own attitudes towards women and girls.

To give meaning to 16 Days of Activism we now need to engage the men of South Africa in a dialogue about their responsibility towards women and toxic masculinity. All of society should be mobilised to organise these men’s dialogues.

The government, non-governmental organisations and the private sector should be encouraged to support such dialogues in every workplace, place of worship, school, college and university, and in every community. Every day various entities devote resources to public engagements, conferences and seminars on various pressing social, economic and political issues of the day. These are forums where this engagement should happen.

Eradicating gender-based violence is no less urgent or important. These crimes affect every aspect of our society, including health and well-being, safety and security, and economic growth and productivity.

In these dialogues, we need to examine our understanding of sexual consent. We must challenge the myth that rape is only considered rape if it involves a stranger, or if the victim responded by screaming for help, fighting back or reporting the matter immediately to the police.

By bringing together men of all races, classes and generations to speak frankly about their understanding of masculinity, we can show how some assumptions and practices that many people consider ‘normal’ are harmful to women and children.

We must change beliefs that men are strong and women are weak, that men have to be in charge, or that men can do as they please with women. Men need to understand that they can and should express their pain and frustrations without inflicting harm on others.

As President, I stand ready to participate in men’s dialogues. I call on Ministers, Premiers, religious, political and community leaders, sports people, artists, celebrities and business people to do the same.

The men of South Africa owe it to the women and children of this country to take up the struggle against gender-based violence.

These men’s dialogues can be platforms for men to challenge each other to become better men, more responsible, more understanding and more caring.

From the desk of the President

WENDY MOTHATA

The Gauteng Education Department has placed 87.71% of Grade 1 and 8 learners who had applied for admission through the online admissions placement process.

Education MEC Matome Chiloane was briefing the media on the progress of 2023 online admissions and learner placement on Sunday at Parktown Boys, in Johannesburg

He said that parents who failed to accept placement offers for their children were delaying the process.

“One of the things that is clogging the system is that we got 5,485 applicants who have received offers but whose parents have not accepted them, and this delays the process. You find that a learner has been offered space in two or three different schools, and until they can accept that offer, the system will cover those spaces as filled.”

Chiloane said so far, 87.71% of applicants had been placed while 12.29% were not yet placed.

“We need parents to assist us by accepting offers in one of the places so they can free up the system and we can continue placing other learners. This has been one of the problems we are facing.”

“We had received 332477 unique applications for both grade 8 and 1 of those 157 697 were grade 1, and 174 780 were for grade 8. We have managed to please 87.7% of those learners so far.”

“Currently we are sitting with 35 897 (12.24%) for both grade 1 and grade 8 pupils awaiting to be placed which is 9 897 for grade 1 and 26 000 for grade 8, and we are still in the process to place them.”

Chiloane assured parents that they should not be worried that their children have not been placed.

“Parents should not be worried that they have not been placed as the time towards the end of the placement period is coming closer.”

The department said that those who will be appealing regarding where their children are placed, they will be considered.

“Those who will be eligible to object are those who will be transferred to schools that they would not have applied for. Those are appeals that will be considered. All objections will be judged on their merit.”

“The merit varies. You’ll find that we’ve placed your child in a school far from you, and there is no scholar transport or any other measure in place for your child to go to that school. Those are some of the merits we’ll be looking at. So they vary, it’s multiple factors…so we’ll be looking at every single objection with its own merit.”

“So with this process, we are looking to avail around 599 additional classrooms for primary schools and 698 additional classrooms for secondary schools. This isn’t only for high pressure schools that you see here, also other schools that might not necessarily be streamlined.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

Scholar transport accident claims life of a Grade 3 Yusuf Dadoo pupil, two in critical condition

A private scholar transport vehicle carrying primary and secondary school learners was involved in an accident claiming the life of a Grade 3 learner and leaving two learners in critical condition.

The incident occurred in the morning on Thursday in Azaadville, West Rand. A nine-year old Grade 3 boy learner from Dr. Yusuf Dadoo Primary School suffered severe injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.

Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and passed on while receiving medical attention, the department said. 

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said he is saddened about the incident.

“We are saddened by this unfortunate incident which claimed the life of one of our learners. We wish to convey sincerest condolences to the family and the school community. The Department pleads with scholar transport drivers to exercise the utmost vigilance on our roads when transporting our learners, said Chiloane.

There are currently two learners who are in critical condition being treated at a medical facility. 

The department said investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident. 

Affected schools and families will be receiving trauma support and counselling. 

Learners from Dr. Yusuf Dadoo Primary School and Ahmed Secondary School were onboard, according to the official report.  

-INSIDE EDUCATION

GAUTENG education department will be using anti-Apartheid activist Matthew Goniwe’s legacy to inspire efforts to improve the quality of education to benefit the poor, MEC Matome Chiloane told guests at the annual memorial lecture in Birchwood hotel on Wednesday evening. 

Goniwe dedicated his life to fighting inequalities in the education system. 

“The most fitting honour to his memory and legacy will be a solemn commitment to continue the fight for quality education for all irrespective of where the school may be located in the province,” he said.  

Goniwe was a qualified teacher who believed in quality education for all and as a community leader. 

He went on to establish a feeding scheme, a school choir, a debating society as well as boxing, rugby and soccer clubs to keep the youth in his community actively and productively engaged.

Today, the MEC said Goniwe would be proud to hear the Gauteng success story and progress in improving the quality of education using path breaking initiatives such as the  ‘reorganisation of schools’ programme. 

In the interest of advancing the quality of education for the most marginalised, Chiloane said the department has been able to change the education landscape and accelerate quality learning through the ‘twinning our schools for resource optimization’.

The programme will see the pairing of an under-resourced school (usually located in a township or rural area) with a well-resourced school (usually located in a suburb).  

He told guests that he intends establishing a Section 17 Governing Body that will develop a constitution and plans to improve social cohesion and share resources which will in turn, he said, impact on learner outcomes. 

Section 17 of the South African Schools Act of 1996 gives a member of the executive council the power to determine, for example, that the governance of two or more public schools should be in a single governing body only if it is in the best interest of education.

Using this approach, he said resources are being shared and learner performance is above 90% in both schools. 

Through ‘Schools of Specialisation’, sector specific skills to learners will be provided with the aim to address the skills shortages. The specialty of these schools covers Maths, Science and IT, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Performing and Creative Arts, Engineering and Sports. 

Chiloane said learners from Soshanguve Technical High School have built a one-of-a-kind solar powered train.

“It is such inventions that will come from such schools that will assist the country as we deal with the effects of the energy crisis and rising fuel costs. Through the Gauteng Townships Informal Settlements and Hostels (TISH) program, we will be establishing most of these schools in our townships,” he said.

The Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance will play a critical role in ensuring the success of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of education. Through the school’s programmes aimed at ensuring optimal teaching and learning, Chiloane said the school must continue capacitating school leadership and management.

Chiloane applauded Mathew Goniwe school for continuing to educate and empower many teachers, principals and school leadership in general.

Adv Thembeka Ngcukaitobi was the guest speaker at the event. Delegates heard that Matthew Goniwe was no arm-chair revolutionary nor critic but truly immersed in the development of his community, Cradock.

To this day, it remains a befitting decision because the mere mention of his name is a call to action for us all and a reminder of his exemplary life that espoused values such as black excellence, servanthood, humility and ethical leadership. 

The Gauteng education department is celebrating the 20th anniversary Celebrations of the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and governance. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

WENDY MOTHATA ||

ALL National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) beneficiaries at University and TVET colleges will start receiving allowances and transacting via the NSFAS bankcard in 2023 academic year.

The financial aid scheme said the new payment solution will alleviate challenges experienced through the current allowance payment method as well as appropriately cater for the ever-increasing number of beneficiaries and large amounts of funds to be disbursed.

The scheme said that the new payment system is secure and will protect beneficiaries from the increasing number of fraudulent activities that result in allowances not reaching the intended recipients.

The President of the South African Union of Students, Lubabalo Ndzoyiya, has affirmed the students’ full support of the new direct payment system, indicating that it is long overdue.

“We have been long requesting that NSFAS removes the middleman in its processes and offerings to simplify students’ lives. And this is a step in the right direction,” said Ndzoyiya.

It has become so easy to access your allowances, you can now withdraw money using the cardless withdrawal option by dialling the*134*7772# USSD code. #NSFASMasterCard#NSFAS2023 pic.twitter.com/jRamzCtWs0

— NSFAS (@myNSFAS) November 23, 2022

NSFAS CEO Andile Nongogo officially introduced the new allowance payment system for NSFAS beneficiaries which will see them get paid through a NSFAS bank account.

“With the current payment system, students are at times confined to certain transactions and purchases; the new system will give them financial freedom, such as withdrawals at ATMs and till points at retail stores as well as access to virtual transactions,” said Nongogo.

Nongogo said that the new system will eliminate the middleman and enable NSFAS to take accountability in cases where payments are not made to beneficiaries on time.

“We are not saying that NSFAS will transform into our ideal scheme overnight, however NSFAS is taking the necessary steps to ensure that the Student-Centered Model is realised,” said Nongogo.

The President of the South African Technical Vocational Education and Training Student Association, Sphiwe Khumalo said that he hopes the new system will be able to empower the students through its alignment with the 4th industrial revolution.

“We will not distance ourselves from this system as it has always been our wish for students to get their allowances directly and that they should be able to transact online, this will eliminate the risks of students losing cash or getting robbed,” said Khumalo.

NSFAS said it is in contact with various retail stores and other state entities to create a platform for students to walk in at their facilities.

“The new payment system is secure and will protect beneficiaries from the increasing number of fraudulent activities that result in allowances not reaching the intended recipients.”

Wits Masters student Andile Nkambule said that the new payment method will be convenient for most of the students.  

“The new payment system will be convenient to most of the students. The good thing about it is that you get allowances directly into the bank account. What is exciting is that you can make online transactions and purchases,” Nkambule said.  

However, University of Johannesburg student Martha Themba said she has read about the new card but still needs clarity on questions she has.

“I tried reading up about it. There are things I don’t understand. With this card it looks like not all students will be eligible to have it.”

-INSIDE EDUCATION

The Mpumalanga Department of Education says that it is satisfied that the ongoing examinations both internally and externally. This is after some schools in the province were affected by heavy floods on Friday.

The Department said that the exams are proceeding without major challenges in all the schools.

“Heavy storms last  Friday evening affected  Ehlanzeni and Gert Sibande Districts.”

The Department extends its appreciation to the members of School Governing Bodies and parents who volunteered their time and services to clear the damaged areas and for cleaning affected  schools.         

The Department said it will monitor developments very closely and will work with the relevant departments and stakeholders for a lasting solution to fix the damaged properties.

Last week, MEC of Education in the province, Bonakele Majuba said the the community protests hindered some of the learners from writing exams. 

“ The community protests here, sadly hindered some learners from realising their goals of writing,” said Majuba.

The Department of Basic Education is yet to make a decision regarding learners who missed the exams due to community protests.

-INSIDE EDUCATION

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane will host the annual Matthew Goniwe memorial lecture on Wednesday at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg. 

The department said this year’s lecture will focus on the theme: Bridging the socio-economic inequalities of the past through effective school leadership and governance invariably improving the efficiency and efficacy of our ICT enhanced education system.

The Chairperson of Walter Sisulu University (WSU) council, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi will deliver the keynote address. 

The lecture will be used to celebrate 20 years of the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) and the education successes achieved over the last past decade. 

Matthew Goniwe, born on 27 December 1947 in Lingelihle Township on the outskirts of Cradock in the Eastern Cape, was a passionate educator and a highly principled idealist activist who was popular among learners and various communities. 

The department said Goniwe’s commitment to education and youth empowerment is a legacy that must be continually celebrated and exemplified. 

The lecture will start at 6.30pm. 

-Inside Education

With less than nine months to go before the Netball World Cup (NWC) in Cape Town next year, World Cup winning Australian coach Norma Plummer is once again in charge of the SPAR Proteas for the SPAR Diamond Challenge in Pretoria this week.

Plummer took the SPAR Proteas to the semifinals of the 2019 NWC in Liverpool.

After South Africa’s disappointing performance in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham earlier this year, where they finished in sixth place, Netball South Africa (NSA) sent out a call to Plummer to take them through to the NWC.

Plummer told media on Monday that she was happy to be back with the team.

“The SPAR Diamond Challenge is an important part of our build-up to the World Cup,” she said.

“I haven’t been with the team for three years, so this gives me an opportunity to assess the new players who have come into the squad and to select a team for the Quad Series in January,” said Plummer.

South Africa will play Scotland, Zimbabwe and the SPAR President’s XII in the SPAR Diamond Challenge at the Pretoria University Sports Centre, Rembrandt Hall. The tournament starts on Tuesday and the final will be played on Saturday.

SPAR Proteas captain Bongi Msomi said the team was delighted to have Plummer back in charge.

“We have huge respect for her,” said Msomi.

“We have just had a very good training camp with her in Potchefstroom. The group is very switched on and we are looking forward to the SPAR Diamond Challenge. It will be a good competition and give us a chance to test ourselves.”

Scottish Thistles coach Tasmin Greenway said Scotland had not been to South Africa since 2014.

“It’s my first proper tour with the team since I took over two years ago, and many of my players have no experience of playing against African teams,” said Greenway.

“The SPAR Diamond Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to expose the players to one of the great netball teams,” she said.

Zimbabwe Gems coach Ropafadzo Matsauki said Zimbabwe was not in the tournament just to make up the numbers,

“We are here to compete,” he said.

“We need as much game time as possible before the World Cup next year.”

The SPAR President’s XII is made up of players just outside selection for the national team. Plummer said it was important to give these players opportunities to play against international teams.

“It is essential to expose players like this to top-class netball so that if they are needed to replace a member of the national team, they won’t be overwhelmed,” said Plummer.

All the matches in the SPAR Diamond Challenge will be televised live on Supersport.

Tickets for the games will be available at the venue – R20 for adults and R10 for school going children.

SUPERSPORT