By Nkhensani Chauke

Bullying, gangsterism and drug abuse remain significant obstacles to effective teaching and learning in Ekurhuleni’s schools, according to Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane.

He said vandalism, alcohol abuse and other crimes were also concern.

“In order to curb these incidents, the department has put in place various measures. These include securing access into schools, search and seizures, deployment of security guards, recruitment and deployment of patrollers, as well as partnering with community structures and law enforcement agencies.

“However, despite these interventions, I continue to receive reports, in fact disturbing reports, of violence, bullying, arson, vandalism and several other reports,” he said

Speaking at the Ekurhuleni school safety imbizo in Tsakane, Chiloane said the goal of the meeting was to address serious concerns while enhancing collaboration between local stakeholders, educators and students.

The department held a similar imbizo earlier in the month in Kliptown, Soweto.

The MEC said over the weekend that the department had identified 55 schools in the region which were impacted crime, with gangs known as the Boofs, Gailos, Nkabination and Amabutho operating in them.

He added that the department noted the continuous conflicts between school governing bodies and local communities over “self-built projects”.

There was also fluctuating fights among learners who were on drugs, and substance abuse required immediate attention.

Chiloane added that peaceful communities played a role in creating safe schools, while environments plagued by violence manifested violent behaviour at schools.

“It is against this background that we must develop strategies to protect our schools from the social challenges impacting our communities. We must acknowledge that issues like violence and substance abuse cannot coexist with a healthy, conducive environment for learning and teaching.

“Today as we gather here to identify the challenges, we must with the same vigour think creatively to come up with lasting solutions to these challenges,” he said

Chiloane informed the gathering about strategies in place, including parental and community engagement, safety and security training, and educational and awareness programmes.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Gauteng education and sport MEC Matome Chiloane has celebrated the collective achievements of Gauteng’s sporting community, highlighting how sports can unite communities, foster pride and showcase the transformative power of athletic excellence.

The 13th Gauteng Sport Awards celebrated the province’s sporting excellence on Sunday night under the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring the Youth”. It honoured the achievements of athletes who exemplified Gauteng’s moniker as the “Home of Champions”.

Among the night’s biggest winners was rising football star Relebohile Mofokeng, crowned Sport Personality of the Year after a spectacular season with Orlando Pirates.

Mofokeng, a 20-year-old footballer from Sharpeville, has taken the country by storm.

A graduate of the School of Excellence, he was scouted by Orlando Pirates, where he quickly became an integral part of the team; with performances during the 2023/2024 Premier Soccer League season earning him the DSTV Young Player of the Season award and helping Pirates secure victories in both the Nedbank Cup and the MTN Cup.

Following a public vote via SMS, Mofokeng triumphed over a formidable group of finalists that included sprinter Akani Simbine, MMA fighter Dricus Du Plessis, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and Olympic swimmer Tatjana Smith.

Another highlight of the evening was the recognition of Tatjana Smith, who was named Sportswoman of the Year.

Smith, an Olympic swimmer, had a stellar performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she claimed a gold medal in the 100m breaststroke with a remarkable time of 1:05.00 and a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:19.01.

Smith’s accomplishments earned her over R350,000 in prize money, cementing her as one of the country’s premier athletes.

She was also among the nine Gauteng-based Olympians who received special cash incentives from the provincial sport, arts, culture and recreation department for their medal-winning performances.

The Lifetime Achiever Award went to Peter Manero Ngobeni, a trailblazing South African sprinter.

Ngobeni, once the fastest man in the country, won multiple South African sprint titles during his illustrious career.

In 1985, he became the first Black sprinter to receive Springbok Colours, breaking barriers in a segregated sports landscape.

The award, selected by Chiloane, recognised Ngobeni’s enduring legacy and contributions to South African athletics.

The awards also celebrated the achievements of nine athletes from the province who represented the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including Smith, sprinter Akani Simbine, and para-athlete Pieter du Preez, who received special cash incentives in recognition of their success.

A total of 59 finalists from various sporting disciplines were honoured at the awards, with each receiving R15,000, while category winners were awarded an additional R25,000 and automatically qualified for the National South African Sports Awards later this year.

Chiloane previously said this year’s period has been extended to include the recently held Olympics and ongoing Paralympics.

He said the awards were highly anticipated after an exciting and successful sporting season with many athletes, federations and clubs working hard and achieving significant success; and further hailed the province for producing many successful athletes.

“We will, therefore, use the Sports Awards to profile our province as a destination for all sportsmen and women from across the country and Africa to come and excel and be recognised for their talent,” Chiloane said.

Chiloane said there was ample evidence to demonstrate that sport and recreation did make a difference to people’s lives as well as the larger communities in which they lived in, and that by recognising their achievements, the awards aimed to inspire young athletes and encourage them to pursue excellence in sports.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

A crisis is looming in the education sector in the North West as delays and errors in the release of Post Provisioning Measures (PPMs) threaten school governance, budgeting and resource allocation for 2025.

This prolonged failure, in violation of legal deadlines, has sparked widespread concern from educators, school governing bodies (SGBs) and unions like the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU).

SAOU executive officer Paul Sauer said current situation was affecting the over-all budgeting requirements needed to deliver quality education for next year.

“The situation is dire. The release of the PPM is nine weeks overdue. This means that the schools are not able to accurately plan for the 2025 school year in regard to the number of teaching staff that will be available which in turn drastically affects the number of learners that the school will be able to accommodate,” Sauer said.

PPMs are essential frameworks that determine the allocation of teaching posts to schools within a province. They consider various factors, including student enrolment, grade levels and special needs requirements. This is to ensure equitable and efficient distribution of teaching resources.

By law, the education MEC is required to finalise and communicate PPMs by 30 September each year.

The regulation detailed in Schedule A of the Regulations for the Creation of Educator Posts aims to give schools sufficient time to plan for the upcoming academic year.

Additionally, Section 58C(6) of the South African Schools Act (SASA) mandates that provincial departments determine and communicate the capacity of public schools by the same deadline.

SAOU provincial secretary Johan Kruger said that despite these clear legal obligations, the education department has failed to release accurate PPMs on time, with initial delays compounded by the release of incorrect PPMs in October, sparking confusion and concern among schools.

One glaring example of this mismanagement occurred in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda School District, where the final PPMs released on 21 October diverged significantly from earlier drafts.

Kruger said that some of the key errors included inconsistent weightings used to calculate teacher allocations being inexplicably increased; and several primary schools reporting that Grade R enrolments were omitted from calculations, reducing their post allocations.

Additionally, he maintains that schools catering to learners with special educational needs found discrepancies in weightings based on disability classifications, while some schools did not receive the additional posts promised in initial drafts.

Kruger said that school principals were placed in the difficult position of explaining sudden reductions in teaching posts to their staff, leading to low morale among educators and uncertainty about class sizes and workloads.

The provincial secretary said attempts to address the issue have yielded little progress, and that this lack of action has forced schools and SGBs into an untenable position.

When district managers were confronted with the discrepancies, they retracted the final PPMs but offered no viable solutions or accountability.

Governing bodies may have to independently allocate funds for additional educator posts to prevent overcrowded classrooms or compromised learning conditions, further straining already limited resources.

The SAOU has called for those responsible for these errors to be held accountable.

In a letter to MEC Viola Motsumi, HOD Maropeng Seshibe and other senior education officials, Kruger, expressed grave concern over the department’s inability to meet its statutory obligations.

“Imagine the position of a principal who must inform their staff that the school’s post provisioning has been cut. This creates a ripple effect of despondency among teaching staff, ultimately affecting the quality of education,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance’s education spokesperson CJ Steyl has urged the MEC to release accurate PPMs immediately.

The party also wants a detailed explanation of measures to prevent future occurrences and greater accountability, saying that education must be prioritised over administrative inefficiencies.

Steyl said the without swift intervention, the risk of long-term damage to the North West education system remained high, threatening the rights of learners to quality education and the stability of public schools in the province.

Inside Education attempted to reach out to the department concerning the matter, but there was no response at the time of publishing.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

South Africa joins the rest of the globe in raising awareness about what has become an annual public relations exercise around the 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children.

Ironically, South Africa and the African continent have the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas and then by Oceania. 

This violence extends to all walks of society, including tertiary institutions and schools, with the victims ranging from professors to learners. Violence against women is not just a South African challenge. The world of academia was stunned by the death of Dorcas Lekganyane, a South African scientist, allegedly murdered in an act of gender-based violence (GBV) in July 2024.  Her partner was arrested and charged with murder after she was found dead in a house in Bramley, Johannesburg. In the Western Cape in August, police arrested a 17-year-old boy for the murder of grade 10 pupil Deveney Nel, who was found dead in a storeroom at her school, Hoërskool Overburg, in Caledon. Sadly, the list of gruesome deaths through GBV gets longer.  

One woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by their intimate partner or other family members, according to thelatest global report on femicides.  An intimate partner or another family member commits 60% of all female homicides.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November, the report Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides by UN Women and UNODC reveals that femicide — the most extreme form of violence against women and girls — is a problem that seems to be getting worse. Why?

Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. A total of 60% of these homicides – 51,000 – were committed by an intimate partner or another family member. Around 140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes. 

In the 21st century, with cruel actions of people and leaders under more scrutiny, you would think that violence against women and children would show a decrease. In South Africa, thanks to ineffective policing and an equally ineffectual National Prosecuting Authority under the hapless leadership of Shamila Batohi, criminals and crooks continue to walk freely. The victims’ families fight for justice is one of painful resilience. In some cases, most victims don’t get justice. 

But you can expect President Cyril Ramaphosa and the current Minister of Women to come out of their slumber and talk about 16 Days of Activism while the justice system, under their appointees, keeps failing the nation.

What the emergence of the Government of National Unity enforced on the former ruling party, which famously proclaimed it would reign until Jesus came, is shared leadership because the people have spoken out against the former type of arrogance at the ballot. Ironically, former president Jacob Zuma was accused and acquitted of rape, during which the ANC Women’s League turned a blind eye to his disgraceful treatment of women, shows how compromised and unable they were to act against the man leading the nation. Ironically, he was spat out like a used condom by the very party he now dreams of usurping and ruling the country again. Perish the thought if women of South Africa have anything to say about it.

The ANC’s diminishing stranglehold on the nation has failed to spark action to strengthen the criminal justice system meaningfully, holding perpetrators accountable while ensuring adequate support for survivors. Can women of South Africa truly say they are able to walk around or go anywhere without looking over their shoulder?

The answer is a resounding NO!

According to Ghada Waly, the executive director of the UN Office and Drugs and Crime, women must have access to safe and transparent reporting mechanisms.

“At the same time, we must confront and dismantle the gender biases, power imbalances, and harmful norms that perpetuate violence against women. As this year’s 16 Days of Activism Campaign begins, we must act now to protect women’s lives.”

“Violence against women and girls is not inevitable — it is preventable. We need robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women’s rights organisations and institutional bodies,” she added.

Universities, schools and society in general must become safer places. Women in South Africa, Africa and the world need protection, not public relations, Mr President.

Edwin Naidu is the Editor of Inside Education.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Unisa has honoured nine esteemed anti-apartheid activists and distinguished alumni for their outstanding contributions to societal development at its Chancellor’s Calabash Awards ceremony.

Held under the theme “Reclaiming Africa’s Intellectual Futures”, the ceremony honoured individuals and organisations that have profoundly impacted society, advanced transformation and reinforced democracy.

This year marked a milestone with the introduction of the Liberation Struggle Hero/Heroine Award, recognising those who displayed extraordinary courage, leadership and dedication in the fight against oppression.

Judge Albie Sachs was recognised for his exceptional role in the negotiations that led to South Africa becoming a constitutional democracy, and struggle veteran Ruth First was honoured posthumously for her role in the fight against apartheid, as well as her contributions to promoting peace and good corporate governance.

The awards, launched in 2007, celebrate outstanding achievements across various categories, honouring individuals and entities that have significantly contributed to societal progress.

The Outstanding Educator Award was presented to the Education, Training and Development Practices Seta for its transformative contributions to skills development, research and education through bursary programmes and support for TVET college lecturers and university students.

The Outstanding Alumna Award recognised two exceptional women. Christine Ramon was honoured for her leadership in empowering women, championing diversity and combating poverty, and Innocentia Itumeleng Motau was recognised for advancing maritime sustainability and investment, and contributing to economic growth and job creation in the country.

The Unisa Robben Island Alumnus Award paid tribute to Bishop Stanley Mmutlanyane Mogoba for his theological contributions to peace, reconciliation and  challenging apartheid. It was also awarded to Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, for fostering inclusivity within the church, and advocating for marginalised groups, including women and HIV-positive individuals.

The Outstanding Public Service Award celebrated former statistician-general Pali Lehohla and acclaimed poet, author and folklorist Ntate Tsietsi Winston Dennis Mohapi for their significant contributions to government and society.

In her keynote address, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Puleng LenkaBula said the awards ceremony exemplified Unisa’s mission to honour its history, celebrate its present, and inspire its future, emphasising the transformative power of education and leadership.

Chancellor and former president Thabo Mbeki echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need for human capital and resources to sustain the university’s transformative mission.

“For the university to achieve what it must after its 150 years, it requires resources. I am very glad we are here today with people committed,” he said.

He said it remained important to consider where the university would be in the future, and praised its first woman VC.

The university said the awards reaffirmed its role as a beacon of inclusivity, excellence, and innovation, inspiring generations to build a brighter, more equitable future.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe 

The University of Fort Hare continues to grapple with allegations of corruption and academic fraud, with Vice-Chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu and other officials providing updates on investigations and institutional reforms during a meeting with Parliament’s committee on higher education this week.

Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie sought clarity on the status of recommendations from a departmental team meant to support the university’s turnaround strategy. 

A representative from the Department of Higher Education confirmed that while the team has diminished due to resignations, it remained active, consisting of senior directors and infrastructure experts. 

The team was monitoring the university’s projects and engaging in governance oversight.

The representative noted that legal concerns surrounding a probe by the Special Investigating Unit probe had strained relations at times.

The SIU is investigating nine charges against the university mostly concerning maladministration and malpractices.

The representative said that frequent engagement with the university had ensured continuous progress, including improvements in infrastructure and council restructuring under a new statute adopted post-administration in 2019.

The vice-chancellor elaborated on the reforms, noting a reduction of council members from 27 to 22 and the implementation of a consolidated turnaround plan. 

The university is now preparing for its second council term post-administration, with new ministerial appointments underway.

Buhlungu reiterated the complexities of the SIU’s investigation, which now spans qualifications issued as far back as 2004. While the SIU operates independently and reports directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa, its findings will have have far-reaching implications. 

“Meetings between the SIU and university stakeholders have shed light on fraudulent qualifications across honour’s, master’s, and doctoral programmes, as well as irregularities in law and health sciences faculties,” he said.

Buhlungu likened the investigation to “heart surgery,” emphasising that the process, though painful, was vital for restoring credibility to the university.

Recent media reports about a R1 million fraud scheme linked to the former CEO of two Setas, Raymond Patel, were also addressed. 

“Patel, now accused number 17 in a broader corruption case, allegedly collaborated with the university’s former HR director to orchestrate bogus psychometric tests for staff,” Buhlungu said.

“The scheme involved kickbacks funnelled through Patel’s company, as revealed by the national task team investigating fraud at Fort Hare.”

Buhlungu expressed surprise at Patel’s involvement.

The investigators, however, have built a strong case through detailed financial audits and traced transactions linked to the fraud.

During the meeting this week, Buhlungu acknowledged institutional weaknesses that had allowed questionable recruitment practices to thrive in the university system. 

He emphasised that such flaws predated his tenure and had been highlighted in the independent assessor’s report.

“In some places, there were no policies. Yes, we’ve investigated that that person, that professor, didn’t do it by himself. It was a system. 

“It was a system that was weak, and that’s why the SIU is now going back to 2005 to trace the roots of these institutional weaknesses,” Buhlungu said.

The inquiry also discussed the controversial hiring of Isaac Plaatjies as director of investigations, allegedly without a formal process. 

Buhlungu clarified that Plaatjies had been engaged through short-term contracts in HR before being appointed as the director. However, he admitted the process bypassed standard competitive hiring procedures.

“Yes, there was no interview at that time, but we assumed that because he was an insider… he was something to be trusted. And of course, we were wrong,” he said.

Further complicating the matter, Plaatjies is now a suspect in the assassination of Buhlungu’s bodyguard and alleged attempts on the VC’s life.

The committee chairperson expressed concerns over governance issues.

“If indeed this happens or is allowed in our institutions, then we have a problem. It means tomorrow, if I’m the vice-chancellor, I can employ my girlfriend’s family and say, you know, introduce them and say it’s short term,” Letsie stated.

Concerns about nepotism were also raised regarding the hiring of the wife of the CFO in the HR department without a competitive process. 

While Buhlungu acknowledged her employment, he deferred responsibility, claiming the appointment was at a lower level and did not require his direct oversight.

The university’s recently appointed Deputy VC for Institutional Support, Lufuno Hashatse, admitted to uncovering irregularities tied to past HR management, including those linked to a former HR director who is now under arrest. 

He added that efforts were underway to overhaul HR practices, with permanent roles now being advertised and filled following standard procedures.

The committee requested a full report on the appointment process for HR, including minutes, technical specifications and evidence of due diligence due this week.

The inquiry also delved into concerns raised by the Student Representative Council, including their underrepresentation in university governance structures like Senate. 

They highlighted infrastructure shortcomings and dissatisfaction with digital voting systems for SRC elections.

In response, Buhlungu emphasised ongoing efforts to address governance challenges and implement recommendations from the independent assessor’s report.

INSIDE EDUCATION 

By Elise Kalokerinos and Ella Moeck

It’s that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives.

Uncertain waiting periods are among our most emotionally challenging experiences. In fact, research shows students are more stressed while waiting for their results than after finding out they have failed. This is because dealing with an uncertain situation is more stressful than dealing with a known negative outcome.

In our new research, we investigated how students can best approach this often an agonising time.

Our research

We followed 101 university psychology students in Belgium receiving results that determined whether they could continue their degree.

We surveyed students ten times a day over two periods. We surveyed for two and a half days before they had their results, because previous research suggests uncertainty is hardest immediately before finding out outcomes. We then surveyed for six and a half days after results were received, because strong emotional responses can last several days.

We used a method called “experience sampling”, which involves sending short surveys repeatedly each day. These were done via smartphone.

Every survey, students used a slider scale to tell us how strongly they were feeling four positive (for example, “proud”, “happy”) and six negative (for example, “disappointed”, “anxious”) emotions. We asked questions such as: “right now, how anxious do you feel about your results?”.

Students also used a slider scale to indicate how much they used six common strategies to manage their feelings (for example, distracting yourself, accepting your feelings, or rethinking the situation). We then tested which strategies predicted better emotional outcomes both during the wait, and after results were known.

What to avoid

We found there are strategies students should avoid while they wait for results. These strategies are associated with stronger negative emotion when used in the waiting period. Two takeaway findings include:

1. Don’t reframe the situation before you know what it is

When managing stress, one generally helpful strategy is reappraisal, which involves rethinking an emotional situation to reduce its impact. For example, a student might interpret failure as a learning opportunity.

Surprisingly, we found the more students reappraised while they waited, the worse they felt. For example, a student thinking “if I fail, I can learn from it”.

But we found the more students reappraised after they received their grades, the better they felt. Reappraisal seems to only help after knowing your grades, when there is a concrete outcome to rethink.

2. Take care with how you share

When feeling bad, people often share their emotions with others. For example, a student might share their worries with a friend.

But the more students in our study shared their emotions with others while waiting for their results, the worse they felt. This may be because students are sharing to vent or complain, leading to a downward spiral. It also could be that students share with friends who are also worried, and their friends’ feelings compound their anxiety.

What can you do instead?

We found students who accepted their emotions as they were, without judgement, felt more positive during the wait. This strategy also worked well after students learned their results, regardless of what they were. This suggests acceptance is a consistently helpful approach.

Research suggests when we accept our emotions, they lose their power. In accepting our emotions, we confront the reality of the situation and let our feelings run their natural course, rather than swimming against the tide.

How can you accept your emotions?

You can practise acceptance in three steps:

1. Notice and label your feelings. For example, “I’m feeling anxious” or “angry” or “ashamed”

2. Experience these feelings fully, even if they are negative. Don’t try to control, diminish, or avoid them

3. Don’t judge these feelings. Recognise they are normal and valid. For example, you might think, “I feel really anxious about my results, but that’s reasonable and OK”.

Acceptance may feel counterintuitive, but our research shows it can help students navigate that long and anxious wait for results.

Kalokerinos is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, The University of Melbourne, and Moeck is a Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Adelaide.

This article was originally published in The Conversation

By Johnathan Paoli

The highly anticipated 3rd Annual Montego Champs 4 Change Tournament kicked off in Graaff-Reinet on Friday to bring awareness to the plight of women and children in the face of violence.

This year’s event, at the Botanics Sports Grounds in Graaff-Reinet, aligns with the country’s National 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, blending youth sportsmanship with a vital social cause.

The soccer tournament showcases the talents of under-9 teams while raising awareness about combating violence against women and children.

With 12 teams competing across three groups, the tournament brings together 120 young athletes, emphasising unity, empowerment and community transformation through sport.

It started with a round-robin group stage, where the 12 teams are divided into three groups of four.

Each team plays three matches within their group, with games lasting 22 minutes and 10-minute halves and a 2-minute halftime.

The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.

From there, the tournament follows a standard knockout format, culminating in the semi-finals and final.

Group A includes the defending champions Jose Mourinho U9, Dangerous Darkies, Union Preparatory 1, and Isibane 2.

Group B consists of the XI Attackers, Birds United, Union Preparatory 2, and Lingcom Primary, while Group C will include the Summers Strikers, Graaff-Reinet United, Isibane 1, and Mountain View FC.

Since its inception in 2022, the tournament has grown into a beacon of hope, promoting conversations about societal challenges while celebrating youth talent.

By combining soccer with activism, the event harnesses the unifying power of sport to inspire young athletes and engage the community.

This year, all proceeds from the tournament will support Siya Phambili, a place of safety for abused women and children in Graaff-Reinet.

Additionally, the tournament incorporates an eco-conscious initiative, accepting 10 empty plastic bottles as an alternative entrance fee to promote recycling.

The tournament’s organisers have ensured that every participant, including players and coaches, receives a meal and a drink, fostering a sense of inclusion and gratitude.

The organisers said that by empowering young athletes and their families, they aimed to contribute to the fight against violence and encourage conversations about creating a safer, more equitable society.

As the tournament’s legacy continues to grow, plans are already in motion for next year’s 4th tournament.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Democratic Alliance in Mpumalanga has successfully secured the provincial legislature’s approval for its motion calling for urgent action to support learners with special educational needs.

DA education spokesperson and MPL Annerie Weber said the motion presses the provincial education department to establish a task team dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by these learners and their families.

“Without immediate action, the failure to accommodate these learners in 2025 will have devastating consequences, exposing vulnerable children to societal risks while their parents are at work,” she warned.

Weber said that while the department’s 2024/2025 Annual Performance Plan outlined plans to form a task team to assess the financial and regulatory requirements for providing suitable infrastructure, staff, catering and hostel facilities for the learners, the DA was urging the department, under MEC Cathy Dlamini’s leadership, to expedite this process and implement solutions before the 2025 school year began.

Many learners with special educational needs across Mpumalanga are at risk of being stranded at home due to deteriorating hostel facilities, with the plight of Masinakane Special School in the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality being emblematic of the broader crisis.

She said the school has struggled for years to secure proper boarding facilities, and after their previous building was condemned in 2022, a makeshift facility was erected with assistance from the DA and the SA Human Rights Commission.

However, this temporary solution accommodated only 45 of the 126 learners, leaving the remainder to sleep in classrooms.

Weber said the situation has worsened as the facility had become unsafe, and the Labour Department recently imposed a R700,000 fine on the school, putting its boarding services at risk of closure.

Similar challenges have affected Platorand School in Belfast, where privatising hostel facilities left many parents unable to afford the costs.

“Special needs learners rely on dedicated teaching, medical and hostel staff for their development and care,” Weber said.

Beyond infrastructure, the DA stresses the need for systemic reform to ensure that the constitutional right to education for special needs learners is upheld.

The party has urged the task team to engage with National Treasury once the costing and regulations are finalised to secure adequate funding for long-term improvements.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Gauteng government says it is set on getting to the bottom of the food contamination crisis following another child dying on Wednesday.

Gauteng economic development and finance MEC Lebogang Maile visited the Diepkloof community on Thursday, following a five-year-old boy dying after exhibiting symptoms consistent with food poisoning.

He issued a stern warning to non-compliant spaza shop owners, who have been blamed for multiple deaths and hospitalisations across the country.

“We will not tolerate the sale of unsafe products that endanger the lives of our children,” Maile said.

Authorities are investigating the death, which has sparked renewed outrage in the community.

The child, a Grade R learner from Dumezweni Primary School, began vomiting and experiencing diarrhea after consuming snacks. It is believed that he purchased snacks from a local spaza shop.

He was rushed to a nearby clinic, where he was declared dead.

Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened.

“The cause of death is unknown at this stage, pending autopsy results,” she said.

Three other children from the same school who reportedly consumed the same snacks were also treated at a clinic, and were later transferred to another facility for further care. They are now in stable condition.

The MEC confirmed that the spaza shop in question has been shut down, pending further investigations. Health inspectors from the City of Johannesburg have taken samples for testing.

“As per the directive of the President, we have called for the immediate closure of the spaza shops to protect the community,” Maile said.

His comments come days after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced measures to address the crisis, including ordering the immediate closure of implicated spaza shops and giving unregistered retailers 21 days to comply with municipal regulations.

This latest death highlights a larger public health issue that has been unfolding across the province, with more than 890 cases of foodborne illness being reported since September, resulting in the deaths of 23 children.

The incidents are linked to chemical contamination in food sold at informal retailers, raising serious concerns about food safety in the province.

Community members in Diepkloof expressed outrage, demanding stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent further tragedies.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng education department has deployed its education support team to Dumezweni, in order to provide psychosocial services to affected learners and staff.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased learner and wish the hospitalised learners a speedy recovery,” said education MEC Matome Chiloane.

Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department has also called for increased vigilance in schools and communities to prevent further incidents.

He said the government’s multidisciplinary task team on food safety has been coordinating efforts to identify the sources of contamination, improve food safety standards and ensure accountability among informal retailers.

INSIDE EDUCATION