By Johnathan Paoli

A mediation process involving Solidarity, the Basic Education Department and the Presidency is set to commence at the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on Friday in a bid to address ongoing disputes regarding the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.

The mediation comes in response to Solidarity’s notification of a planned protest against the legislation, scheduled for 5 November at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The introduction of the legislation has sparked significant contention, particularly concerning its provisions related to language and admission policies in schools.

Following the signing of the Bill into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September, Sections 5 and 6, which focus on these contentious issues, have been temporarily suspended for a three-month negotiation period.

Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann said the union’s leadership was approaching the mediation with determination.

“We are entering the mediation with an open mind. We have a very strong case and will state our case loud and clear. The government deals recklessly with schools in general and particularly so with Afrikaans schools,” Herman said in a statement.

In preparation for the upcoming protest, the union served a Section 77 notice on Nedlac, seeking protection for its members who plan to participate in the demonstration.

Under the Labour Relations Act, Nedlac is mandated to explore resolutions to such disputes before proceeding with any planned protests.

Hermann emphasised the importance of the mediation, saying that it was crucial to exert pressure throughout the negotiation process.

“The march on November 5 is one part of this pressure. If no settlement is reached after the Nedlac mediation, Nedlac must issue a certificate which will mean that Solidarity members may participate in the march without employers being allowed to take action against them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Solidarity and civil rights group AfriForum are actively engaging in discussions with various political parties regarding the Act.

Hermann hinted at the intensity of the ongoing debates, exclaiming “sparks will fly in the next two months”, and indicated that the discussions were likely to become increasingly heated as the November protest approached.

Despite the mediation efforts, Solidarity has confirmed that the planned march would proceed as scheduled, regardless of the outcome of the Nedlac discussions.

A diverse coalition comprising Solidarity, other Afrikaans organisations, education institutions, parents and communities are expected to participate in the protest.

The controversy surrounding the law has ignited broader discussions about language policies in the country’s education system.

Advocates for Afrikaans education argue that the amendments threaten the viability of Afrikaans-medium schools, while proponents of the changes assert that the reforms aim to promote inclusivity and equity in education.

As the mediation process begins, all eyes will be on the negotiations at Nedlac.

The outcome could have significant ramifications not only for the Solidarity movement, but for the future of language and education policy in the country.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

In a bid to revolutionise sports development in South African schools, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has announced the launch of the Track Plus Field School Athletic Series.

The initiative, set to kick off in January next year, is a collaborative effort between his department, SuperSport, Athletics South Africa, SA Schools Athletics and the Department of Basic Education.

Briefing the media on his first 100 days in office on Thursday, McKenzie emphasised the programme’s objective was to identify and nurture young athletic talent, crowning the top athletics high schools in the country. 

He said the series would be open to all high schools nationwide, with learners under 15, 16 and 17 participating.

“We want to go out and find our athletes,” McKenzie said. 

“We’ve joined forces with a corporate company to make this happen and we’re committed to getting our children off the streets and onto the sports field.”

The minister highlighted the alarming disparity in sports facilities between private and public schools. 

“It can’t be that only private schools have access to quality sporting equipment. We’re changing that,” he vowed.

To bridge this gap, he said the department had allocated R69 million to equip rural and underprivileged schools with essential sporting equipment. 

He added that this investment would enable schools to offer Olympic sports like pole vaulting and wall climbing, which were previously only available in affluent schools.

McKenzie said his vision was to transform the face of sport in the country, starting with the youth.

“A kid in sport is a kid out of court,” he emphasised. 

“That’s our motto. We’re committed to making sports accessible to all, regardless of background or socio-economic status.”

He said the series was part of a broader strategy to re-establish sports as a vital component of school life. 

The ministry recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Basic Education Department to reintegrate sports, arts and culture into the school curriculum.

The launch of the series marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s sports’ development journey.

“We’re back, and we’re going to change the face of sport in this country,” the minister said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Nkhensani Chauke 

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane says he is seriously concerned about the suspected food poisoning of children in the province, following 25 learners falling ill after consuming snacks purchased from vendors outside MshuluzaneMayisela Primary School in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, on Thursday.

The incident was reported after the learners came down with stomach cramps and were itchy just 30 minutes after consuming the snacks.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said emergency services transported the learners to medical facilities for treatment.

“Two learners were taken to private medical facilities by their parents, and one learner remains at Zithobeni Clinic, where they are still under medical observation. The condition of the remaining learner is being closely monitored,” he said

Mabona said the law enforcement and health officials would investigate the incident to determine the safety of the products sold by vendors, and to ensure that it did not happen again.

The MEC has stressed on the importance of ensuring that learners only consume safe food.

“We urge parents, guardians and schools to be vigilant. Our priority is the health and safety of our children, and we wish the affected learners a full and speedy recovery,” he said in a statement.

There have been a number of suspected food poisoning of children in Gauteng in recent months. Six friends, who were in primary school, died in Naledi in Soweto after purchasing chips from a spaza shop.

And a couple of days ago, a suspected food poisoning incident involving 47 learners

from Rapelego Primary School in New Eersterust, Hammanskraal, prompted medical attention across multiple hospitals in the area.

Inside Education

By Maryna Besseling

Exam time is a stressful time for learners, teachers and parents. Unfortunately, it is not only the matric teachers who are affected by this – examinations are the time when all teachers of Grade R are evaluated in respect of each year’s building blocks that have been put in place. 

At matric level it is, therefore, a measurement of 12 years of teaching and learning which is measured in one exam.

Parents often ask what they can do to prepare their children for exam times and there are some basic principles that one can put in place even a month before the exams start.

1. Create a restful atmosphere

Writing an exam is an unnatural experience for every child and they are afraid of the paper, they wonder if they have learned enough, if they have learned the right things and what their final results will be. It is therefore necessary that parents create a supportive and calm environment in which children can learn and prepare. It makes sense to have an area where sound and stimulation are limited. An area that is largely Wi-Fi free is very important. Devices such as cell phones and tablets distract your child. Research shows that it takes up to 15 minutes to focus on learning again after a screen visit, which significantly extends your child’s study time.

Include “bonus time” in study planning, where your child can interact with peers for 5 or 10 minutes between each study hour.

2. Practice, sleep and healthy food 

Most children are not used to sitting still and studying for long periods at home. If you take into account that they also had to sit still for long periods during the day in an exam session, it becomes an even bigger challenge.  It is therefore necessary that there is at least an hour of relaxation before starting the learning session at home. 

It also makes sense for parents to make sure that children eat healthy food during this time to give theirbrain extra nutritional power for this great task. Studying is physically exhausting and therefore it is necessary to cut out especially sugar and unhealthy foods. Teenagers, particularly, snack during study times and it is necessary to have healthy and filling sweets available that can be consumed between study times. Some children are afraid that they may have to ‘leave the room’ and so do not take in enough liquid. Make sure your child is drinking enough water. Children spend more time indoors at this time and it is therefore necessary that your child still receives the necessary Vitamin D intake.

Routine is the best guideline at this time and includes set bedtimes. Children need more sleep during exams, precisely because their brains are hyper-stimulated. Healthline.com indicated in a study that children perform better in tests if they get enough sleep before a test. Improvement in results can be as much as 20%. 

3. A meaningful study programme

Every child has his or her own unique style of learning and parents need to know which learning style suits their child best. Some children benefit from creating summaries. The summary does not only focus on the memorisation of abbreviated content, but also the choice of the content. The use of coloured pens and pictures, the method of reading and writing, also support the capture of content in the short-term memory. It therefore makes no sense to get summaries that someone else has made and then try to memorise them. This process of defining content for yourself in a digestible format takes time and can be prepared long before the exam. Trying to memorise large amounts of work the night before the exam only causes unnecessary pressure.

4. Previous exam papers

For many children it makes sense to work through previous papers to see how questions are asked and how the answers should be formulated. It is unlikely that teachers will set questions, and in the same order, in exactly the same format as in previous papers, so be careful not to do ‘exam coaching’. It puts immense pressure on the learner if the paper looks different from what they have practised. Try to use as many different papers, tests or assignments as possible to prepare your child.

5. Examination timetable

It is essential that each member of the family knows exactly what the exam timetable looks like, especially which subjects are written, as well as the time at which the question paper is written. Having prepared for the wrong exam and /or arriving late due to transport problems, puts children under enormous, unnecessary pressure. Parents can support children by making sure that the timetable is followed closely,and their child arrives well in time to write the exam.

Exams make up only one part of your child’s year mark and although we all want our children to do very well, it is just another part of your child’s development. 

As parents, we can encourage our children to prepare well, but ultimately your child is the one who takes the exam and at the end, the well-being of your child is more important than the result.

Besseling is an advisor to the Suid-AfrikaanseOnderwysersunie

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has expressed confidence and determination over the readiness of KwaZulu-Natal for the upcoming 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

With just days to go before the exams commence, the province is prepared to support 172,433 full-time and 34,986 part-time candidates as they approach this critical milestone in their education.

During his address on Thursday in Durban, Ntuliemphasised the significance of the exams, saying they not only represented a test of knowledge, but were a culmination of years of hard work and the aspirations of families across the province.

“As our learners prepare to sit behind the desk, they will be carrying the dreams, hopes and prayers of entire families,” he said.

The premier expressed his confidence in the education department led by MEC Sipho Hlomuka.

“We can say with no hesitation that our province is combat-ready to administer the 2024 NSC examinations,” Ntuli said.

He attributed this readiness to the meticulous planning and groundwork laid throughout the academic year, building on the successes of the Class of 2023, which achieved a pass rate of 86%, making KZN the second-best performing province in the country.

To improve upon last year’s results, the department developed a comprehensive 2024 academic improvement plan, aiming for a minimum pass rate of 90%.

This involved tailored strategies from each of the province’s 12 districts, particularly targeting schools that previously scored below 40%.

Ntuli highlighted various initiatives undertaken to prepare learners, including a winter classes programme that ran from late June to early July, accommodating nearly 99,000 learners across 1,001 centres.

These sessions focused on curriculum coverage, revision and effective study methods.

Furthermore, additional support has been provided through weekend tuition sessions and spring boot camps targeting subjects where learners historically faced challenges.

Ntuli said the department has also conducted monitoring visits to ensure that the academic improvement plan was effectively implemented in all districts.

In discussing the logistics of the examination process, Ntuli outlined the scale of the operation: 120 question papers will be printed, totalling around 30 million copies, and 27 morning and 27 afternoon sessions will take place across various examination centres.

The distribution of materials will occur through 13 nodal points and 103 collection centres. Marking is set to commence at the beginning of December.

Emphasising the importance of integrity in the examination process, Ntuli assured that stringent measures were in place to prevent irregularities, including inspections of printing facilities.

He also announced that all matriculants would sign a pledge on Friday, committing to uphold the credibility of the examination process.

Ntuli expressed his gratitude to educators, parents and all stakeholders for their dedication and support leading up to the exams.

He acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the provincial legislature and the Basic Education Department and concluded with a message of encouragement for the Class of 2024.

“Do your best and you will certainly deliver the best performance in the 2024 NSC examination,” the premier said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has voiced its disappointment regarding the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and its ongoing challenges in providing complete financial statements to Parliament.

This issue has persisted for several years, with significant delays attributed to poor compliance from universities and TVET colleges.

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has highlighted that only 50 out of 76 institutions submitted the necessary information for the 2023 academic year, further delaying NSFAS’s annual report.

Nkabane emphasised her intention to penalise institutions that failed to provide critical data.

“I’m going to write to universities and TVET institutions and advise them that I intend to impose penalties on those who withhold critical data from NSFAS,” she saidon Tuesday.

The financial health of the NSFAS has come under scrutiny, especially amid a backdrop of escalating costs related to private student accommodation.

Nkabane noted that the government currently spentapproximately R20 billion annually on private accommodation, a figure deemed unsustainable given budget constraints.

“We need to come up with a strategy or review our model regarding private student accommodation,” she said.

The NSFAS’s 2022/23 financial report is expected to be tabled in Parliament a year later than mandated, while the 2023/24 report is due to be submitted to the Auditor-General by the end of October.

NSFAS administrator Freeman Nomvalo assured that next year’s financial report would be on time.

“The biggest part of the preparation will be completed by December 2023,” he said.

The meeting also addressed ongoing investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into corruption and maladministration within higher education institutions.

The SIU has reportedly recovered R857 million as a result of these investigations, with R477 million returned directly to the NSFAS.

The recouped capital largely relates to unallocated funds linked to students who either changed institutions or deregistered.

Despite some improvements, including the termination of staff implicated in misconduct, Scopa members expressed concern over systemic inefficiencies within the scheme.

Nkabane expressed her doubts about functionality, referencing issues such as deceased learners receiving benefits and discrepancies in identity number registrations.

The briefing highlighted that NSFAS had met only nine out of its 39 performance targets, raising alarm among committee members.

The fund’s adverse audit findings were primarily due to issues like double dipping, students funded for multiple institutions simultaneously and lapses in data submission.

In an effort to enhance oversight, Nkabane announced plans to appoint a new NSFAS board and establish regional offices in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape, along with mobile offices at various higher education institutions.

As the country grapples with high youth unemployment rates, the full functionality of NSFAS is seen as crucial to fostering a skilled workforce capable of driving economic growth.

The ongoing challenges, however, cast a shadow over the scheme’s ability to fulfill its mandate.

The minister concluded by reiterating the importance of a stable NSFAS.

“A stable NSF will produce a labour force with critical skills to assist our economic growth and help us become a capable developmental state,” she said.

With pressure mounting from both Parliament and the public, the NSFAS faces an uphill battle to restore confidence in its operations and ensure that the vital financial aid reaches the students who need it most.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

A suspected food poisoning incident involving 47 primary school learners from Rapelego Primary School in New Eersterust, Hammanskraal, has prompted medical attention across multiple hospitals in the area.

Gauteng health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba confirmed that the children, aged between 9 and 14, received treatment at Jubilee Hospital, Odi Hospital, Tshwane District Hospital and Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital.

The majority of the affected learners were discharged from the hospitals by Tuesday.

However, as of the latest updates, four children remain hospitalised, with one receiving care at a private facility.

The incident reportedly began when Grade 5 learners consumed chocolates that were purchased from another student.

While the chocolates had an expiry date of June 2024, the consumption led to gastrointestinal distress among the children, with some also experiencing breathing difficulties.

In response to the incident, Modiba has issued a public advisory emphasising the importance of food safety.

He urged parents and caregivers to be vigilant about the proper handling of both perishable and non-perishable food items.

“While the chocolates may have appeared safe due to their expiry date, it is crucial to remember that expired food should not be consumed, regardless of its appearance,” Modiba said.

He highlighted the significance of hand hygiene, advising the public to wash hands thoroughly before handling food and after using the bathroom to prevent cross-contamination.

As investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding this incident, health officials are urging the community to remain cautious and proactive about food safety practices.

Modiba said his department was monitoring the health of the remaining learners and has committed to providing further updates as necessary.

There have been a number of suspected food poisoning of children in Gauteng in recent months. Six friends, who were in primary school, died in Naledi in Soweto after purchasing chips from a spaza shop.

Five of them were buried last week, and the sixth child, seven-year-old Katleho Olifant who later died in hospital, will be buried over the weekend.

The government is still attempting to get a handle on all the cases.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said last week that she had received briefings from provinces regarding the food poisonings, and the incidents appeared to be isolated.

While her counterpart in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni called on South Africans to stop supporting spaza shops owned illegally by foreigners who she accused of selling poisonous food that claimed the lives of innocent children.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

There are significant operational challenges in the National Skills Fund (NSF), according to the Higher Education and Training Department.

Briefing the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), the department said they included issues around administration and skills development.

While Scopa chair Songezo Zibi welcomed the presentations from Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane and director-general Nkosinathi Sishi on the NSF’s latest annual rep[ort, he said cooperation was essential to address the challenges plaguing the fund.

The NSF, which has been probed by the Special Investigating Unit, only achieved nine of the 39 performance indicators for the year.

“It is important for us to work together over the next few years, to get to a point where the department and entities facilitate millions more going through the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector, that they are skilled and employed, in order to contribute to the economy of the country,” Zibi said.

Sishi told the meeting that performance across its three key programmes was uneven, with three out of 12 indicators met for administration, only one out of 24 achieved in terms of skills development funding, and 5 out 13 indicators were reached for PSET system improvement funding.

He said the challenges were largely attributed to inadequate integrated systems, capacity constraints and delays in project approvals.

In terms of financial highlights, Sishi said the NSF reported a revenue of R4.484 billion, which was slightly below budget expectations by 1.3%.

Expenditure saw a significant 51% increase, primarily driven by new initiatives in work-integrated learning and artisan development.

However, the NSF underspent on its budget, with skills development expenditure totalling R1.784 billion, which was 68% below the planned R4.9 billion.

Sishi explained that the underspending was linked to delays in project approvals and contracting processes.

The accumulated surplus increased by 26.79% to R3.2 billion, reflecting underutilised funds.

Sishi said that despite the glaring problems, the NSF remained committed to optimising its financial resources to better fund its programmes.

In relation to governance and compliance, the DG confirmed that the NSF maintained a qualified audit opinion with a notable reduction in material findings compared to previous years.

However, he said following the audit, there had been no new reports of irregular or fruitless expenditure.

He said the fund had implemented a comprehensive audit action plan to enhance operational effectiveness and address prior findings.

Despite these efforts, capacity constraints and insufficient project monitoring remained issues, prompting the NSF to focus on critical appointments and improved project management.

The DG said the NSF had established a structured approach to managing employee misconduct, with procedures in place for investigations and disciplinary actions.

Some past offences included a refund of R486,115 related to fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and ongoing disciplinary actions against three officials, with hearings scheduled for the end of the month.

In addition, Sishi said forensic investigations revealed significant financial irregularities, leading to the suspension of several officials and a concurrent criminal investigation by the Hawks, which was still ongoing.

The report underscored the urgent need for capacity improvements and more efficient processes in skills development initiatives.

While revenue and surplus figures showed positive growth, Sishi admitted that the organisation faced ongoing challenges that must be addressed to fulfill its mandate effectively.

“With a focus on enhancing compliance and operational efficiency, the NSF is working towards a more robust framework for skills development across the country,” he said.

The minister echoed the sentiment and said she remained determined to turn the NSF around.

“We are committed to ensuring accountability and transparency in the NSF, thus my priority revolves around accountability on all levels,” Nkabane said.

The minister said both her department and NSF were actively establishing more effective corrective measures and capacity building to enhance its efficiency in supporting skills development.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

It is full steam ahead this week as the education department wraps up its preparations for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, with matric learners telling Inside Education they are living in suspense.

Arguably the most important exams they have faced so far, Grade 12 learners will write their finals from Monday to 27 November.

According to the Basic Education Department, it is prepared for the exams and aims to surpass last year’s 82.9% pass rate.

A total of 727,121 full-time and 155,215 part-time candidates are registered to write.

Education officials are focused on ensuring that the security of the 162 approved exam question papers, assigning 55,053 markers to oversee assessments across 6,334 public schools and 575 independent centres.

“We are confident that we have implemented effective strategies to support our learners, especially given the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube recently told a portfolio committee meeting.

On Friday, Umalusi, which is the quality assurance body overseeing the exams, approved the writing of the end of year examinations. It has confirmed that all question papers have been moderated and approved, while emphasising the importance of maintaining integrity throughout the examination process.

This week will see matric learners signing pledges to uphold the NSC examination Code of Conduct across the country, while provinces like KwaZulu-Natal will hold a “prayer weekend”. Faith-based organisations and churches have been requested by the provincial education department to pray for the Class of 2024 and matric learners have been asked to attend services in their school uniform.

Amidst all the preparations and ceremonies, the atmosphere among pupils is a mix of excitement and anxiety. Learners from various schools have shared their experiences and strategies for tackling the exams.

Gomolemo Kadiege from Bokamoso Secondary School in Tembisa expressed her apprehension.

“I’m actually not ready for the exams; I’m scared,” she told Inside Education.

Despite developing a structured study timetable, she said found the workload daunting, but hoped to pursue mechanical engineering while gaining work experience.

In contrast, Nkhensani Khosa from Kaalfontein Secondary School in Ebony Park exuded confidence.

“Yes, I am ready,” she said.

Khosa said she had engaged in extra classes and effectively managed her time, aspiring to continue her education at a tertiary institution.

Sizwe Khumalo from Illinge High School in Vosloorus shared his readiness, emphasising the importance of utilising previous question papers and seeking help from teachers.

“I have found that some topics I do not understand clearly,” he said.

His goal is to study firefighting at a private college.

Khumalo’s fellow pupil, Ntokozo Mashego views the exams as “a key to my future,” having established a focused study routine.

While learners like Musa Shebangu and Betty Bongusa have expressed their  determination to achieve their goals, highlighting the support they received from peers and teachers.

Their aim is successful matric results that will open doors to further education or immediate employment.

With diverse experiences and ambitions, these learners are not only preparing for exams, but are also laying the groundwork for their future careers.

With preparations in full swing, the Basic Education Department remains committed to creating a credible examination environment, ensuring every learner is supported as they navigate this critical phase of their education.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane must feel like the Grim Reaper. 

Weekly, he expresses sorrow over the death of one learner too many. 

Throughout 2024, children have perished in horrific vehicle accidents and incidents of suicide, and currently six children have succumbed to suspected food poisoning. 

Inevitably, Chiloane is the bearer of bad news. 

The deaths of children under a democratic system, which is meant to nurture and ensure a better life for all, shows that for all the beautiful words and subscription to international conventions, it means nothing without delivery. 

On Sunday, a Grade 1 learner from Karabo Primary School, who had been recovering in ICU following the tragic suspected food poisoning incident in Naledi, Soweto, a week before, died. On the same day, there was the mass funeral of the five other learners who lost their lives in the same suspected food poisoning incident.

As expected, Chiloane conveyed sympathies to the family and school community. How does one explain to these parents what happened to their children? It should not end with Chiloane. 

The Bill of Rights, Section 28, outlines children’s rights, including access to food, shelter and healthcare. The child standing at the robot shows that this promise is not being honoured.  

Children are entitled to be protected from abuse, neglect, maltreatment and degradation. Ongoing abuse of children, rapes and murders show failure in this regard too. 

South Africa’s leaders are failing to meet the promises in the Constitution. A severe lack of accountability seems to match the corruption rot rooted in South Africa.

It does not help when the justice system allows frivolous corruption cases to be challenged for years without crooked people being put behind bars. 

When the authorities find nothing wrong with a president keeping money under the mattress in contravention of exchange control regulations, one cannot believe in justice for all.

The crooked and corrupt seem to have a licence to chill with someone as ineffective at the helm as ShamilaBatohi, the National Director of Public Prosecutions. And we haven’t started on the former president’s legal shenanigans driven by everyone’s favourite blustering advocate who blows hot air but never wins cases. 

Therefore, one has no faith in empty words on paper when the crooks escape without impunity while children are dying in our beloved country. 

To his credit, Chiloane cannot do more than issue statements with crocodile tears. But at least he cares, shows empathy, and sometimes gets lawyers to probe incidents of wrongdoing in the schooling system. He gets things done. 

But when children die, it becomes a national problem. As the custodian of all South Africans, by design, not necessarily choice, it is incumbent on President Cyril Ramaphosa to find out why children get a raw deal in South Africa. What is the government doing to honour its commitments in respect of children in the Constitution?

Under the fiery Barney Pityana and committed Jody Kollapen, the South African Human Rights Commission took steps to monitor government delivery on human rights. Unfortunately, their departure has weakened the human rights policing of government in South Africa. 

With human wrongs dominating society, one would have expected the commission to visit Naledi and establish why children are dying.

It has a children’s unit, and Unicef funds its website. Still,all the feel-good stuff is public relations when the body established to support constitutional democracy does notbreak its silence when children are dying. 

While the victims of crime transcend race, most children killed in taxi accidents, through food poisoning, falling into pit latrine toilets, drowning in drains, and the list can go on, are Black. What is the government doing? 

One cannot help but feel that the lives of Black children do not matter. 

Edwin Naidu is the Editor of Inside Education.

INSIDE EDUCATION