By Levy Masiteng

In a major boost to school sports in Gauteng, education and sport MEC Matome Chiloane has donated equipment to 150 schools.

It forms part of the province’s flagship School Sport Wednesday League programme, which targets identified no-fee schools, including those for learners with special educational needs.

They received 75 football kits and 75 netball kits, including playing kits, balls, bibs, whistles and watches.

The ceremony took place at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre in Johannesburg, where Chiloane emphasised that schools played a vital role in nurturing talent that could become national assets.

“We have resolved that every school should have an extracurricular programme and every learner shall participate in any of the activities within the programme, which will be included in the academic report at the end of the year,” he said.

“Everyone including parents, teachers and community leaders need to get behind this young talent starting from the grassroots and make them believe that they can go on to do well and play for big teams including the national teams.”

The MEC proudly pointed out that Gauteng’s young talent was doing well, “which is a testament to the efforts by the province in strengthening school sports and building champions from the grassroots”.

The programme is set to be implemented in 1270 no-fee schools in the province during the mid-term period, with 381 schools already benefiting.

He said earlier this week that by next year, the league would include more sporting codes such as volleyball and basketball, and “creative arts” would also form part of the programme.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba 

An 18-year-old man taken in for questioning following the rape of five matric learners from a school in the Mqhekezweni Administrative area, was released on Friday morning 

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said it had been established that he was not linked to the case, and police were still looking for the perpetrators.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheli Mene said police have increased efforts to find the suspects. 

The five Grade 12 learners were sexually assaulted by two armed intruders on Wednesday morning.

The men invaded the pupils’ rented home, where they attacked and robbed them as they were preparing for their exams.

Meanwhile, the province which has been riddled with horrific crime of late, is set to launch its safer festive season operations, under the theme “Combating Crime Through Decisive Police Action and Robust Community Involvement” in Komani.

The launch aims to guarantee communities that the SAPS together with the external stakeholders will continue to embark on high density operations, searches, roadblocks, tracing of wanted suspects and compliance inspections of liquor outlets to ensure safety for all during the festive season.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Amy Musgrave

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on industry players to collaborate with government agencies, education institutions and NPOs to develop and deliver skill training programmes that are tailored to the needs of the South African labour market.

Speaking during a question and answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday, Mashatile defended the government looking elsewhere to source critical skills, explaining that the country’s labour supply often did not match certain jobs.

These included management level personnel, engineers, technicians, science and maths educators, and IT experts.

“This means that, in the short term, we must source the requisite high-level skills internationally to support economic growth.

“Therefore, one of the reasons we source the critical skills on the Critical Skills List from outside the republic is because the skills that are offered within the country do not always align with market requirements. Consequently, we are implementing various measures to revolutionise the skills,” he said.

Mashatile was answering a question from the Patriotic Alliance on why if the country was facing record-high unemployment, was it not prioritising local talent and upskilling South Africans.

He said that in response to these challenges, the government was promoting the use of the Critical Skills List in career development for young people, updating its website to showcase occupations in demand and shortages, and communicating the list to universities and TVET colleges to prioritise programmes and qualifications.

“Furthermore, South Africa has implemented various policies, strategies and initiatives to address skills development and to bridge skills gaps in the country.

“Amongst others, these include the National Skills Fund which directs resources towards in-demand occupations and conducts programme assessments to evaluate TVET colleges’ programmes against the Critical Skills List, advising them to review their offerings in light of local contexts,” he said.

Also, the Employment Services South Africa database matched work seekers with job opportunities, bursaries, learnerships and other training options.

“Both the industry and the South African government have crucial roles to play in spearheading skills initiatives to address the skills gap,” Mashatile said.

The state was also implementing the Human Resource Development Council strategy, which aimed to address global competition, poverty reduction and inequality by accelerating development to match supply and demand for a skilled workforce.

The strategy included high and intermediate skill development, and supporting large-scale employment growth through skills training at lower levels.

On the digital skills shortage, the deputy president said the country was offering training opportunities through TVET colleges.

Courses focused on practical digital skills like computer programming, software development, networking and cybersecurity.

“Addressing skills deficiencies and implementing human resource development programmes can strengthen the South African economy.

“By investing in skills development and fostering strategic partnerships, the country can contribute to workforce growth and avoid reliance on outsourced skills, ensuring increased local employment rates,” Mashatile said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba 

An 18-year-old suspect has been taken in for questioning in connection with the rape of five matric learners from a school in the Mqhekezweni Administrative area in the Eastern Cape.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said on Thursday that the investigation would determine whether he would be charged or released.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheli Mene said the police were working around the clock to ensure that the suspects were brought to book.

He said the provincial head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit had assembled a team to investigate and apprehend the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape education department told Inside Education that the learners were in a place of safety and counselling was being provided.

Spokesperson Vuyiseka Mboxela said that despite the traumatic event, the pupils had opted to continue writing their National Senior Certificate exams.

“… what they are giving the department as a choice, is that they are wanting to write. And, therefore, we are obligated as a department to respect that wish and make sure that we deliver as such. 

“What is currently happening is that they are in a place of safety, they are being given psychosocial support and also… tutors to help them in revision as they are doing Grade 12,” she said.

“Options that they had was one, not to write the papers that were left for them and write them in the following year, or just re-register for the entire year and go back to class. And then the third option was for them to segment their writing, that is if they would have been left with four subjects, they could write two subjects next year and two subjects the other year.

“But what they decided was to just write because they don’t want to miss the year 2024.”

The rapes have sent shockwaves throughout the country, with President Cyril Ramaphosa condemningthis incident of gender-based violence and saying it targeted learners in a critical phase of their young lives and educational journey.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Despite budget constraints, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement has made additional money available to the education departments, with much of it focusing on infrastructure development.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has committed to addressing critical infrastructure concerns in the sector, including student housing.

He announced on Wednesday that the government was making a concerted effort to increase the pool of funders to diversify public infrastructure financing through new mechanisms and instruments.

This would include building student housing at six higher education institutions across the country.

Higher Education and Training minister Nobuhle Nkabane said on Thursday that the investment was important as it not only provided students with a physical space to reside, but also fostered a conducive environment for academic achievement.

“This allocation demonstrates a forward-looking approach from the National Treasury,” she said.

Nkabane further reassured students and educational institutions that her department was actively collaborating with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to streamline the accommodation accreditation process.

This partnership aims to ensure that no student is excluded from accessing necessary housing support due to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

The minister acknowledged the broader economic challenges facing the nation, but expressed confidence that through these strategic investments, there would be sustained improvements in essential areas, including infrastructure development and student support services.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted the overall allocations made toward the education sector in the MTBPS, which included a total of R376 million aimed at improving and maintaining educational infrastructure.

The announced adjustments make R20 million available for the provision of workbooks, while R35 million will address the sector’s pressing school infrastructure needs.

In addition, the minister has allocated around R251 million for the Rapid School Building Programme in the Western Cape, which aims to build more accessible and resilient spaces for learning and play, using rapidly scalable construction methods tailored to the needs of local communities.

The minister said the funding would allow for the continued building of new schools and expanding the number of school places available in areas with larger class sizes and a high demand for placement.

An additional R70 million has also been made available to repair school infrastructure damaged by floods.

“While the allocations represent steps in the right direction, the budget pressures faced by provincial education departments continue to pose a significant threat to the delivery of quality education. These pressures have been years in the making due to progressive budget cuts, economic stagnation, and fiscal mismanagement across government,” Gwarube said in a statement.

She said that ultimately education was the foundation of a thriving economy, equipping young people with the skills necessary to become qualified and ultimately contribute to the economy.

“It must, therefore, feature as a critical area of intervention in the coming 2025/26 budget allocations by the National Treasury.”

The minister said in the lead-up to the 20025/26 budget, her department would continue to engage Godongwana on the budget pressures in basic education.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johannah Malogadihlare

Some of the highest rates of depression and anxiety are reported amongst construction workers, and a paradigm shift is imperative for the industry to realise that psychological wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing, according to the Nelson Mandela University.

“The construction industry is among the most accident-prone industries, and among the leading industries with the highest rates of depression and anxiety compared to other industries,” said Dr Mohlomi Raliile and Prof. John Smallwood.

They said that it was also among the leading industries with the highest prevalence of suicide amongst its workforce, at 52.5 per 100,000 for men in contrast to 19.4 per 100,000 for the general male population.

“While this is the case, the focus has primarily been on safety and physical wellbeing.

“Although it is unclear what causes mental ill health among the construction workforce, it is evident that it is triggered by several stressors occurring both at work and outside the workplace environment,” they said in a statement.

The theme for Mental World Health Day earlier this month was: “It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace.”

The two academics said that despite the industry’s inherent demands and challenges, there was a notable lack of systematic understanding and targeted interventions to address mental health issues in the South Africa’s construction industry.

“External factors may result from social, political and economic factors that affect organisational homeostasis, while micro factors could result from poor organisational culture, conflicting role demands, role pressures, trauma, life changes, work overload/underload, job uncertainty, payments, cash flow, lack of work-life balance and personal issues,” they said.

Stress factors were economic, social, work overload and personal issues that could all impact mental health.

“Despite the unknown risk factors, the pathomechanism of mental ill health is intricate and still not fully understood, as it involves a combination of generic, biological and environmental factors,” Smallwood and Raliile said.

Although the percentage of those affected by depression in the construction sector were unknown, they said statistics estimated that one in six people in South Africa suffered from depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

However, it was still important to speak about the issues of mental health in the industry.

“This requires a shift in culture, and a collaborative effort between the employer, the workers, the public and primary health practitioners. Some of the immediate solutions could be achieved through mental health literacy and identification of symptoms in the form of stressors in the workplace,” the academics said.

Financial management programmes and employee assistant programmes could also be drawn up to educate workers struggling with mental health issues.

October is both Careers in Construction Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Parliament’s Basic Education Portfolio Committee has urged provincial education departments to reconsider plans to reduce teacher numbers in response to budget cuts, emphasising the need to prioritise student outcomes over fiscal constraints.

During a meeting with representatives from the Northern Cape and Western Cape education departments, the committee expressed serious concerns following a recent oversight visit to the provinces.

Committee chair Joy Maimela highlighted on Tuesday that senior officials, including heads of departments and MECs, were absent during the visits, which limited the committee’s ability to address pressing issues at that time.

The Western Cape has announced that it will reduce its educator workforce by 2407 positions, primarily affecting contract teachers whose contracts will not be renewed.

However, the department reassured the committee that no permanent educators would be retrenched.

Instead, a skills matching exercise would be implemented to accommodate those affected.

Maimela raised alarms about the potential consequences of such reductions, particularly the anticipated rise in the learner-to-teacher ratio.

“We are concerned that a greater focus is being placed on budget rather than on our learners,” she said.

The committee also requested detailed information on which schools and subjects would be impacted by these cuts.

In response to the committee’s concerns, the Northern Cape confirmed there would be no loss of teaching posts for 663 teachers not covered by the current budget.

A consensus was reached to explore alternative cost-cutting measures, such as the cancellation of non-essential projects, to preserve teaching positions.

Further discussions included the committee’s commitment to promoting social cohesion and addressing issues of racism within schools.

Maimela emphasised the importance of inclusivity in education, pointing out that language policies and application formed in certain schools were exclusionary, particularly those available only in Afrikaans.

The committee also sought clarity on the late placement of learners within the Western Cape, as conflicting reports had emerged during prior oversight visits.

Other critical issues discussed included the availability of textbooks in schools and the impact of high municipal accounts on education budgets.

“Not all issues raised were fully addressed, and we will send follow up questions to ensure our oversight responsibilities are met,” Maimela said.

She said the committee remained committed to advocating for the educational needs of students and ensuring that budgetary constraints did not compromise the quality of education provided.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The protest march against the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act scheduled for early next month is now expected to proceed to Freedom Park in Pretoria, following a successful appeal to Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.

Initially, the management of the national heritage site denied access for the march, but after intervention from chairperson of the Solidarity Movement, Flip Buys, permission was granted.

The march, organised by the Solidarity Movement, AfriForum, and the Support Centre for Schools, aims to protest against contentious sections of the Bela legislation that alter language and admissions policies in schools.

Marchers will gather at the Voortrekker Monument on 5 November and proceed to Freedom Park to deliver a memorandum to the Presidency and the Government of National Unity.

Buys expressed his gratitude to the minister on Tuesday for his quick response.

“Political resistance to our fight against Bela is nothing new and we naturally expected challenges leading up to this march. We are pleased that the minister has responded positively to our call for peaceful protest, as is our constitutional right,” Buys said in a statement.

He said the protest route, known as “Reconciliation Road,” symbolised the unity and diversity of the groups involved.

Thousands have already registered to participate in the march, which has garnered support from a broad coalition of organisations, political parties and concerned parents advocating for the preservation of mother tongue education.

Buys emphasised the significance of the diverse support for the protest, indicating that resistance to the legislation was more widespread than authorities might believe.

“We will continue to negotiate on this important matter, but it is crucial for the government to see the broad base of support behind our cause,” he said.

The protest is expected to draw significant attention and underscores the discontent over education policies perceived as undermining local governance in schools.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johannah Malogadihlare

Heavy rain has damaged 30 schools in the Bohlabela education district in Mpumalanga. The storms also claimed the lives of four people and injured 40 people.

While the Basic Education Department said on X that learners from Godide High School in Bushbuckridge had to write their matric exams in a church hall, the department’s Elijah Mhlanga denied that classrooms used for exams were damaged.

“Exams were not disrupted, classrooms [were] not damaged [and] were used for exams,” he told Inside Education.

He also said no Grade 12 learners were hurt in the storms.

More than 30 schools were reported to be damaged between Sunday and Monday, with 10 high schools severely damaged as a result of the rain and wind.

Basic Education Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule said Monday’s exams went on as planned despite the damage caused.

“The classrooms of the lower grades, which had not been affected, were used in some schools but most of all, we appreciate the kind of gesture of our churches who have offered their buildings to be used for exam purposes,” Mhaule said.

Meanwhile, the rainfall also damaged houses in the district’s villages.

Bohlabela also experienced power supply cuts and some of its roads were inaccessible.

“An assessment of the damage will be conducted, but it could be hampered by the persistent rain,” said Mhlanga.

“We will work with other government departments and local government to continue to monitor the situation and support affected families,” said Mhaule

The deputy minister urged communities to report any damage and pay attention to weather warnings.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

South Africa talks the talk when it comes to upholding the Constitution and rule of law.

But it seems that only a few unheralded citizens walk the talk. Many others whose fingers have been caught in the cookie jar parade as arbiters of justice.

Former Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron did not hide the details around the powerful persona of rogue rapist Thabo Bester during his imprisonment in Mangaung.

While Correctional Services never divulged much on anything, the former inspecting judge, Cameron, shared details about goings-on in a parliamentary briefing, explaining how powerful Bester had been before bars. 

Democracy is better served when leaders like Cameron don’t shy away from the truth. South Africans in power could learn from this man.

Those in the ivory towers of learning should take a leaf from his book. Chancellors of tertiary institutions usually act in a ceremonial role, endorsing the institution’s they are appointed to watch over, without any power.

Cameron, who is the Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, is cognizant of this. However, in pursuit of the truth, he has always been committed to openness in the public interest.

Hence his decision to take the legal route to allow the courts to decide on governance breaches by the leadership of Stellenbosch University.

On the surface, it seems as if they certainly operate as in the old South Africa, unphased by criticism, unbothered by the lack of diversity, and no repercussions for former vice-chancellor Prof. Wim de Villiers who was in the news last year for nepotism. A little rap on the knuckles was all he got.

At the weekend, Cameron’s affidavit around the controversies at the university’s Wilgenhof Residence claims that de Villiers and chairperson of council, Nicky Newton-King, changed the contents of an independent investigation into alleged misdeeds at the residence.

Cameron’s affidavit exposes serious governance issues claiming that De Villiers and Newton-King fraudulently conspired to change the content into alleged misdeeds at the Wilgenhof men’s residence, and withheld information about the changes from the university’s council when it took a decision on the way forward.

Just some of the misdeeds reportedly include so-called punishment rooms and photographs of initiations practices dating back many years ago

Newton-King, a former CEO of the JSE, should have known better than be linked to a decision to doctor a report. This is a public institution. What would people have to say about her commitment to governance and ethics. She ought to stand down.

At the very least she ought to have read De Villiers the riot act, instead of enabling him to do as he pleased.

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, who is currently in Brazil, needs to intervene over another lapse in governance at Stellenbosch.

While Cameroon says a court must decide on the merits of the report, the minister must lay down the rules as part of the regulations for universities to ensure governance is strengthened.

Universities, like Stellenbosch, pay lip-service to governance, and in fact, transformation is masked by the strategic appointments of people beyond reproach like Prof. Thuli Madonsela and Prof. Jonathan Jansen.

They have several key senior Black academics on the staff. But the decision-making around this debacle suggests that the “old white boys and girls” club is strong at Stellenbosch.

One need not look further than their communications team – they cannot find black professionals to sell the voice of the university. I was appalled that they appointed a hospital medical spokesman as head of communications. Perhaps, that is why it is easy to doctor the narrative.

While there is some excellent research coming out of the institution, and unless I’m mistaken, Stellenbosch University seems like a sick place. 

Edwin Naidu is Editor of Inside Education.

INSIDE EDUCATION