By Akani Nkuna

The Basic Education Department has stressed the role of Representative Council of Learners (RCL) in helping combat social ills affecting the broader community, learners and schools across the country, saying that it was important for no pupils to be left behind.

“As you have the opportunity and you are at an advantage, you are ahead and have got all these privileges that you have, do not dare leave those [without] behind…, people from Eastern Cape, Ezilalin, do not have an equal footing for opportunities, but we do not leave them behind because those that you leave behind because of your privilege are your obstacles as you progress in life,” Basic Education chief director James Ndlebe.

“You cannot be successful when the rest is not successful. Your success depends on the success of those that you are leading.”

Ndlebe was speaking at the three-day Learner-Leadership Summit at Anew Hotel and Convention Centre in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.

Addressing an audience of RCL members from the nine provinces, educators, policymakers, civil society organisations and development partners, he highlighted the importance of shaping a resilient, inclusive and future-ready education system which catered for the needs of the most vulnerable learners.

He warned that leaving the less privileged behind perpetuated poverty stereotypes, and increased their chances of abusing drugs, leading to crime, gender-based violence and dysfunctional households.

“When you carry them along and become successful, then you do not have to worry about where you drive your expensive car. Where you live, where you walk in the streets because you do not have to look around who is going to snatch your phone because you have made sure everybody is carried along. And that is the responsibility of the RCL,” Ndlebe added.

The summit convened under the theme “Strengthening Foundations for Learning Towards a Resilient Future-Fit Education”. It featured presentations by RCL members and presidents of eight provinces, who shared innovative ideas and initiatives to combat challenges faced by pupils and the youth at large.

The North West RCL leadership presented a support mobile app and data-free website aimed at tackling the issue of drug addiction amongst the youth. It provides a virtual community-based environment where learners can engage with experts on issues of mental health and struggles.

They said the app would broaden its scope to address various social ills.

Limpopo RCL leaders highlighted the importance of practical skills particularly in agriculture to address the growing levels of unemployment. They also advocated for high market skills to be taught to from a young age.

“By providing learners with practical skills, promoting environmental awareness and fostering community involvement, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all,” they said.

They spoke about the Limpopo Green Education Project, which promoted environmental awareness, enhanced the development of practical skills and ensured that there was food security in the province.

Representatives from the Western Cape were absent during the session following their flights being delayed due to a severe cold front in Cape Town.

The second day of the summit will include the RCL national elections.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected to announce the new leaders on Friday.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

The Gauteng education department has suspended two inspectors from its infrastructure unit, following allegations of mishandling a school repair project at Noordgesig Secondary School in Soweto.

The suspensions come nearly a year after a fire broke out at the school in June 2024, causing extensive damage to several classrooms and the administrative building.

The department had allocated funds for urgent reconstruction, but there were suspicions that the work was not fully completed and that some of the committed upgrades had either been partially done or not carried out at all.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department had launched an internal investigation to determine the full facts surrounding the handling of the project. 

“Subsequently, we will announce outcome of said investigation once it has been completed,” Mabona said in a statement on Wednesday.

Last week, the Democratic Alliance lodged a complaint with the Public Protector, accusing the department of misleading the public about the state of the school repairs. 

The party alleged that despite claims that over R2 million had been spent, the school’s infrastructure remained in a poor and unsafe condition, posing a safety risk to both learners and teachers.

DA MPL Sergio Isa Dos Santos said in response to questions posed by the DA in the Gauteng legislature, that education MEC Matome Chiloane had said that all necessary repairs had been completed. 

This included plumbing, building and electrical work, amounting to R2,065,517.14. The MEC also said fire blankets were delivered in September last year and that R504,951.78 was spent on electrical work and R319 862.30 was used for plumbing.

However, an oversight inspection by the party had “proven what Chiloane said in his replies as untrue”.

Classrooms that experienced minor damage had only been repainted, while the administration block remained untouched. Fire hose reels were dry and there were no extinguishers in sight. The administration toilets toilets remained fire-damaged despite reported plumbing work.

The DA said the department needed to be held accountable for every cent is spent on upgrades to schools to ensure value for money.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has formally engaged senior counsel Terry Motau to address a public misunderstanding concerning his involvement in the appointment process of chairpersons to the boards of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

In a written communication, Nkabane reached out to Motau to seek mutual clarity on the matter and to offer an unreserved apology for the reputational discomfort caused by recent media commentary and administrative oversights linked to the department’s recalibrated SETA appointment process.

“There was never any intent to misrepresent Advocate Motau’s role or to cause harm to his professional standing. This engagement was undertaken in the spirit of transparency, mutual respect and professional courtesy,” the communication read.

The misunderstanding stemmed from widespread public speculation and miscommunication around the role Motau was believed to have played in the evaluation and recommendation of candidates for the SETA Accounting Authority Boards.

The office of the minister initially and incorrectly suggested that he was a formal part of the panel overseeing the appointments, a perception that Nkabane clarified was never intended by her office.

The department has recently been overhauling the governance structures of SETAs as part of broader efforts to ensure integrity and performance in the skills development sector.

Central to this initiative has been the recalibration of how chairpersons of SETA boards, known formally as Accounting Authorities, are appointed.

This includes the formation of expert panels intended to evaluate and recommend individuals based on their qualifications, governance track records, and leadership capacity.

According to Nkabane, a key source of confusion arose from an internal miscommunication: she had not been made fully aware that finalising or concluding Motau’s possible role in this process would have required formal engagement through legal channels.

The minister indicated that the gap in communication contributed significantly to the oversight.

Motau, who is a respected figure in legal and public service circles, is best known for his high-profile forensic work, including his role in investigating corruption within financial institutions such as the VBS scandal.

The suggestion of his involvement in the SETA process carried significant weight, further amplifying the public interest and concern.

The minister confirmed that the matter has now been “constructively resolved”, with a mutual understanding reached between both parties.

She expressed appreciation for Motau’s professionalism in the handling of the issue and reaffirmed her respect for his long-standing contribution to public service and the legal fraternity.

In line with parliamentary accountability and the constitutional imperative for transparency, Nkabane committed to formally briefing the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education about the matter.

This briefing will include a detailed explanation of how the miscommunication occurred and what steps have been taken to ensure clarity and procedural compliance in the ongoing SETA board appointments.

The incident comes at a sensitive time for the department, as it attempts to reposition SETAs to play a more dynamic and responsive role in addressing youth unemployment, skills mismatches, and economic transformation.

The department has faced growing scrutiny from civil society, labour unions and opposition parties over alleged inefficiencies and governance lapses within SETA structures.

The minister concluded by reiterating her department’s resolve to rebuild public trust in SETA governance and to drive ethical leadership across all facets of the post-school education and training system.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

In a landmark interdepartmental initiative, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, and the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, officially launched and signed the Collaborative Implementation Protocol on School Safety, in an effort to respond decisively to the surge in violent incidents, crime, and insecurity plaguing schools across South Africa.

Following a months-long partnership between the Basic Education department and the South African Police Service (SAPS), the protocol was signed by both ministers in Cape Town.

“This has been months in the making. We didn’t want a knee-jerk or shotgun response. We needed a systemic and coordinated approach that reflects the reality: schools are not insulated from their communities. They are extensions of them,” Gwarube said.

Grounded in community collaboration, policing data, and a shared vision of child-centred safety, the urgency of the intervention is backed by data.

According to SAPS statistics for the 2023/2024 financial year, there were: 28 murders in basic education institutions, nearly half in KwaZulu-Natal; 46% of these involved learner-on-learner violence; two-thirds of reported rapes in schools were perpetrated by learners on fellow learners; and over 11,000 burglaries, including the theft of learning materials and food from nutrition programmes.

“Even one violent incident is one too many. Behind each statistic is a child whose right to safety and education has been violated,” Gwarube said.

The newly signed protocol outlines several critical measures.

In terms of police-school linkages, each school will now be formally linked to a local police station, with a School Safety Committee comprising the principal, a staff safety officer, a school governing body (SGB) member, and a designated SAPS officer.

Schools will implement structured crime prevention programmes to address gender-based violence (GBV), gangsterism, bullying, drug abuse, and the possession of weapons.

SAPS will increase patrols around schools identified as high-risk through national crime statistics, particularly during school start and dismissal times.

In accordance with the law, SAPS officers have been given the authority to conduct search-and-seizure operations where credible threats exist.

In terms of support, victim-friendly rooms and community response forums will be established to support vulnerable learners and survivors of trauma.

The Basic Education department, in collaboration with the Department of Justice, will strengthen background checks against the National Register for Sexual Offences and the Child Protection Register.

A dedicated HR standard operating procedure (SOP) is also being introduced for managing flagged individuals.

In light of community and stakeholder integration; civil society, parents, SGBs, learners, and traditional leaders are considered vital partners in the implementation.

“Safety is a shared responsibility. Neither DBE nor SAPS can do this alone,” Gwarube said.
Mchunu hailed the signing of the protocol as a critical first step in restoring peace and dignity to schools.

“This document must not only live on paper—it must become a real, felt experience for learners, educators, and parents,” Mchunu said.

Describing schools as “sacred spaces like churches”, he expressed outrage at violent trends, including learner-on-learner assaults, gang activity, firearm possession, extortion, and even murder.

“We’ve seen drugs, illegal firearms, and horrifying acts of violence taking place where children are meant to learn and grow. We say: enough is enough,” the minister said.

Mchunu identified Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape as the primary hotspots and promised adaptive policing strategies, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

He also called on parents to take greater accountability.

“A parent must know whether their child is going to school with a pen or a weapon. Responsibility doesn’t end at the school gate,” Mchunu said.

He further instructed station commanders across the country to maintain regular contact with school principals, share intelligence, and plan weekly interventions collaboratively.

“Schools are as important as malls or banks. They deserve real-time protection,” he said.

Basic Education Deputy Director-General Granville Whittle reaffirmed the department’s commitment to long-term change.

“Our Minister raised concerns about serious crimes reflected in police stats. We’re working closely with General Masemola and his team to strengthen school safety efforts,” Whittle said.

He noted that the Safe Schools Protocol builds on existing frameworks, including the National School Safety Framework and various reporting protocols for sexual abuse, corporal punishment, and cyberbullying.

To ensure the protocol results in action, a detailed Workplan has been developed.

This outlines concrete steps, including joint school safety audits; updating SOPs and safety frameworks; enforcing compliance with laws such as the regulation of liquor outlets near schools; and quarterly reporting to ensure accountability and adaptability.

Gwarube and Mchunu also announced plans to tour provinces to oversee local implementation and promote coordination between school leaders and police stations.

Both ministers acknowledged that school violence reflects deeper social problems including poverty, unemployment, inequality, and family dysfunction.

“We’re expanding Life Orientation to teach values, respect, and especially consent particularly to boys. Education must shape not just minds, but character,” Gwarube said.

The Safe Schools Protocol aligns with the seventh administration’s national priorities for education and is intended to ensure that no child is denied safety, dignity, or the right to learn.

“This protocol is not a silver bullet,” said Gwarube. “But it is a bold and necessary step toward restoring hope, trust, and safety in our schools.”

Mchunu closed with a firm message:

“We are drawing a line in the sand. Violence has no place in our schools. These are centres of learning, nothing else.”

With government, communities, and law enforcement united, the ministers’ hope is that South African schools can once again become places where every child can thrive.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Portfolio Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie has laid down the law over governance and systemic threats to the sector, warning that no one is untouchable in the pursuit of accountability.

Speaking at the Social Cluster media briefing in Parliament, Letsie detailed the committee’s firm stance on transparency in the appointment processes of key education institutions, governance failures at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the improper hiring of foreign nationals in academia.

“The dignity of students, the integrity of appointments and the credibility of our higher education system are non-negotiable. We will not be passive observers while systemic issues hurt our people,” he said.

The briefing opened with a sharp focus on the controversial appointments of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) Accounting Authority Chairpersons.

Public concern has been mounting after it was revealed that the so-called “independent panel” responsible for making these appointments included ministerial advisors, and the department’s chief of staff and officials, calling into question the neutrality of the process.

“One of the individuals listed has already publicly denied being part of the panel. This raises fundamental questions about the transparency and integrity of the process,” Letsie said.

The committee resolved that Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane must legally furnish Parliament with the names of the concealed panellists.

Furthermore, all panel members will be asked to submit correspondence, terms of reference, minutes of meetings and remuneration details.

Both the minister and panel members will be called to account before the committee.

“We are not witch-hunting. We are demanding accountability for public processes that determine who leads institutions responsible for the country’s skills pipeline,” Letsie added.

Turning to the troubled state of NSFAS, Letsie described a litany of governance and operational failures, including unpaid accommodation providers, delays in appeal processes and the defunding of students due to administrative technicalities.

“NSFAS has contributed over 5 million graduates to our economy. It is central to addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment. But its current dysfunction is sabotaging those very goals,” he said.

The committee remains alarmed by unresolved appeals dating back to January and delays in funding that led, in one instance, to the burning down of an administration block at Northern Cape Urban TVET College.

“When NSFAS does not pay accommodation providers, many of them small businesses, they cannot service their bonds, municipal debts, or pay for electricity and Wi-Fi. And it’s students who suffer, taking cold showers, studying in the dark and writing exams under appalling conditions,” Letsie said.

The committee also condemned NSFAS for defunding students based on the late submission of registration data by institutions.

“You can’t punish students for institutional failures. That’s a form of systemic exclusion,” he warned.

NSFAS has since begun provincial roadshows, with a team of accommodation, data and disbursement specialists deployed to resolve issues on the ground.

A booking system will soon allow private accommodation providers to schedule sessions with NSFAS teams.

“But we’ve already received word of providers losing properties to the bank due to unpaid fees from last year. NSFAS must act with urgency, no student should be left behind,” Letsie stressed.

The committee chair also addressed the sensitive issue of foreign nationals in academic appointments.

While affirming support for internationalisation, Letsie cited national legislation and the 2019 Policy Framework that mandates foreign hiring not come at the expense of qualified South Africans.

“We are not xenophobic, we support international talent. But we are a country governed by laws. And our laws are clear: institutions must first ensure no qualified South African is available before hiring a foreign national,” he said.

Referring to the Central University of Technology’s recent appointment of a foreign dean over a more qualified South African candidate, Letsie noted that excuses about prioritising internal applicants were unacceptable if the position was advertised externally.

With some universities exceeding the 10% foreign national threshold, reportedly at 14%, the committee is pressuring the department to exercise proper oversight in addressing what he called “a leadership attitude problem”.

“What we heard from the department on 18 June was deeply concerning. They claimed there’s nothing they can do. That’s false. Their job is to uphold national policy,” Letsie said.

The committee urged the department to move beyond workshops and take tangible steps to enforce compliance.

Letsie reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to holding institutions and officials accountable.

The committee is expected to announce the date for the appearance of the minister and panel members regarding the SETA appointments once Parliament finalises its current budget adoption schedule.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Tensions remain high at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), particularly at the Mthatha Campus, as students continue to experience what they describe as systemic neglect, institutional collapse and a failure of justice.

Inside Education reached out to the SA Students Congress’ eastern region deputy chairperson and secretary of the Student Parliament at WSU, Nonkululeko Tyatya, who confirmed that students have not been contacted by the Higher Education and Training Department despite repeated requests for intervention.

“As student leadership, we haven’t been contacted by the department, but we have made submissions to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, and are now waiting on action,” Tyatya said.

At the heart of the unrest is the fatal shooting of student Sisonke Mbolekwa during an April protest, allegedly by residence manager Manelisi Mampane, who was controversially granted R10,000 bail earlier this month.

Amid growing frustration, students, led by Sasco and the Progressive Youth Alliance, are calling for urgent intervention from the department and Parliament to prevent further deterioration of conditions at the institution.

Tyatya confirmed that Sasco has formally requested the department to place WSU under administration, citing collapsing infrastructure, poor student accommodation, mismanagement and the university’s refusal to engage meaningfully with students.

A letter was sent in April to the leadership structures of Sasco, the African National Congress’ Youth League, Young Communist League and the chairperson of the Higher Education Portfolio Committee, outlining a detailed list of grievances and proposals.

It described hostels in disrepair, oppressive campus security policies, poor academic support and political bias by university management.

It also called for an independent investigation into the shooting, reform of residence management and a forensic audit into campus renovation tenders.

Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie confirmed receiving the students’ submissions.

“We’ve received some emails from students. The committee is planning to engage with the institution in the next term. We haven’t submitted our draft to Parliament as we are awaiting Parliament’s programme first,” said Letsie.

However, the delay in action has left many students disillusioned.

The situation escalated after news that Manelisi Mampane, who was charged with murder, attempted murder and firearm offences was granted bail by the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court.

The decision sparked renewed protests, with students clashing with police and some engaging in acts of vandalism and road blockades.

Videos on social media showed scenes of chaos as police responded with force.

Four students were arrested and now face charges of public violence, property damage and infrastructure destruction.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana acknowledged the distress caused by the bail decision, but defended the police’s response, saying they have no authority over court rulings.

She condemned the vandalism, saying: “Such conduct diverts critical resources and undermines the pursuit of justice.”

The Sasco letter outlines several additional demands, including the launch of a commission of inquiry into the April shooting, an investigation into procurement irregularities and mismanagement, reinforcement of student rights to protest and organise and reinstatement of policies allowing teacher education students to choose nearby schools for practical training.

The student body maintains that if the current leadership is found complicit in institutional failures, disciplinary and legal action must follow.

“The lives of students, the dignity of learning spaces and the future of rural-based universities are at stake. A better WSU is possible. A responsive WSU is necessary. An accountable WSU is non-negotiable,” the letter reads.

As the university and law enforcement brace for possible further demonstrations, all eyes remain on Parliament and the department, whose responses in the coming weeks may determine both the future of the university and the safety and dignity of its students.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

In a display of community spirit involving schools, NPC Afrika Tikkun and Discovery Vitality’s Give2Move initiative, the first pairs of running shoes have been donated to verified beneficiaries aged between 13 and 30.

The event at the Afrika Tikkun Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot, Gauteng, has been praised as a great example of what is possible when the public and private sector join forces to bring about change.

Karen Johnson, who heads up strategic programmes and wellness at Discovery Vitality, said the company believed that movement was a powerful catalyst for change.

“The Give2Move initiative is about more than just shoes, it’s about unlocking potential, dignity and opportunity through physical activity.”

The initiative was launched in February in collaboration with Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. It aims to collect 100,000 pairs of new or gently worn running shoes for disadvantaged communities. 

Discovery has urged South African primary and secondary schools to participate by donating worn running shoes, soccer boots or any other sports footwear between June and 15 August. 

To get schools motivated to join, they said the two schools that collected the most shoes in their category would win R50,000 to support their own wellness and physical activity programmes.

Afrika Tikkun CEO Marc Lubner praised the partnership, saying: “When government, corporates and civil society come together with a shared vision, we unlock real, scalable change.”

Drop-off points are across the country and include Discovery offices, Virgin Active gyms, Sportsmans Warehouse stores and selected parkrun events.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

In an effort to get young people working, the Employment and Labour Department has teamed up with the Thekwini TVET College at its Cato Manor Campus to help students register as job seekers on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) platform.

The platform, which is run by the department, helps job seekers find employment and training opportunities. It acts as a bridge between employers and job seekers by facilitating the matching of individuals with available positions.

The department said it would also create opportunities for collaborative engagement sessions, where students could receive career counselling, job-readiness support and access to vacancies posted by participating employers.

“As the department, we will undertake regular registration visits to the college to ensure that young job seekers are registered on the ESSA system. In addition, we will identify students who can be connected with recruiters for placement in specialised training programmes,” department provincial operations acting chief director Nandipa Kahla said in a statement on Monday.

She said the department aimed to expand this initiative to ensure that the skills training provided at institutions of higher learning was aligned with the needs of relevant employers.

The college’s principal, Nkosinathi Mchunu, welcomed the collaboration, saying the college was diversifying and strengthening its academic offering. 

“We are working closely with SETAs to introduce programmes such as Mechatronics and Road Transport Management. This partnership will be instrumental in preparing our students for real world opportunities,” Mchunu said.

Department spokesperson Teboho Thejane said employers and training providers had committed to offering 603 job and skills development opportunities during a jobs fair at the college, which was spearheaded by the department’s Public Employment Services (PES) branch.

He said the department also provided on-site access to various services during the jobs fair, including assistance with ESSA registration for job seekers and employers.

Thejane said the partnership was just one its initiatives bridge the gap between education and employment and equip youth with skills and support needed to enter the labour market.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

With Gauteng online applications opening on Tuesday and private schools already planning for 2026, parents are urged to act now to prepare for the cost of their children’s education.

As the Gauteng department of education (GDE) prepares to open online admissions for Grade 1 and 8 from 24 July to 29 August, financial and education experts are warning parents to start planning early for what they say is often one of the most significant long-term expenses in a household – school fees.

Some private schools have already opened for 2026, making it clear that the education race begins before the first day of Grade 1.

“Once you’ve decided where you want to enrol your child, the next step is to work out how you are going to pay for it. It’s critical to plan ahead,” said Sparks Schools finance manager Natasha Vellieux.

According to the executive head of financial planning at NMG Benefits, Stian de Witt, putting even a small amount of money into a high-interest savings account each month can help ease the financial strain when payments are due.

Experts say that many parents underestimate the cost of schooling most of the time, especially when it comes to additional expenses such as uniforms, stationery, transport and aftercare.

“School expenses go way beyond fees. Save by checking second-hand stores and exchanges, and online marketplaces for discounted supplies and ‘gently worn’ uniforms,” De Witt said.

He also encouraged parents to begin budgeting early and involve their children using a method known as the three piggy banks system.

This method includes saving for emergencies or long-term goals, spending for day-to-day small purchases and giving, which is helping others or donating.

“This system helps children understand the basics of financial discipline, generosity and delayed gratification – skills that are invaluable in the long term,” said De Witt.

Experts outlined five key financial tips for parents preparing for their child’s first year of school. These included starting a budget early, creating a school specific savings plan and choosing schools with transparent and flexible fee structures.

Parents were also encouraged to shop smart for supplies and prioritise education quality over price, as long-term outcomes mattered more than short-term savings.

Vellieux added that more affordable private schooling options were emerging offering high quality education at a lower cost than traditional models.

While affordability was important, parents were encouraged to consider the broader educational value when choosing a school.

“Look for a school that offers data-driven instruction that tracks each scholar’s progress so that teachers can provide personalised and targeted support, and young, energetic teachers whose professional development is taken seriously and who are constantly upskilling themselves in education innovations,” Vellieux said.

A globally competitive curriculum was important.

“Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) is the basis for most South African schools, but some also incorporate international benchmarks, offering data-driven instruction, evidence-based practices and personalised learning, and a focus on real-world workplace and emotional skills.”

Vellieux added that the 21st century required scholars to possess a mindset and skills for lifelong learning, empowering them to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

“Getting your child ready for Grade 1 is about more than enrolling at the closest school or finding the right uniform. It’s about setting up healthy financial habits to help you consistently pay school fees for the next 12 years.

“By budgeting early and choosing a school that aligns with your financial situation and educational goals, you’re setting your child – and your wallet – up for long-term success,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

MEDIA STATEMENT

The Construction Education Training Authority (CETA) takes note of a story in the Sunday Times (titled Minister Nobuhle Nkabane Seta woes deepen, 22 June 2025) in which CETA’s name is being dragged through the mud using regurgitated, false and malicious claims to which there are previous responses which the Sunday Times did not request or patently ignored.

The story, based on an opinion piece appearing elsewhere in the paper, then proceeds to make tenuous links between unrelated issues, conveniently ignoring facts to construct its narrative.

It is falsehood, a misrepresentation and misleading the public that there has been irregularities or corruption ignored at CETA. The CETA investigated all claims of irregularities to which it has acted in applying consequence management to various officials, including one being quoted by the ST.

What is noticeable is that most of these implicated officials have opted to go to the media and attack the CETA leadership and CEO at various platforms in an attempt to escape disciplinary action

CETA is currently applying a ruling by the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) handed on the 27th of May 2025, which states that CETA can proceed with a disciplinary hearing against the employee. We doubt if the employee made mention of this fact to the Sunday Times.

The employee sought to halt disciplinary proceedings on the basis that some of the charges emanated from an alleged disclosure made under the Protected Disclosure Act of 2000, thereby disguising themselves as a whistleblower when they were not.  The employee wanted all charges, including those not related to protected disclosure, to be dropped.

The employee faces serious charges, including the violation and breach of Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies which led to CETA incurring irregular expenditure, the violation of contract management policies, alleged leaking of CETA confidential information and bringing the CETA and the CEO name  into disrepute, misrepresentation, fraud and forgery, including that of allegedly forging the CEO’s signature as well as the violation of CETA’s Code of Conduct and Ethics.

The disclosures in question were made in August 2019, three months after a forensic investigation report implicating the same official and others was issued to the CETA Board in May 2019. 

The employee had concealed information about irregularities then afterwards claimed whistleblowing on what could have been brought to light years earlier. The official is at the centre of those implicated in the findings by the forensic report.

In its ruling, the CCMA has found that “…the disclosures in their entirety, given the timing in which they were made, were not made sincerely, honestly and in good faith and thus cannot be regarded as protected disclosures to be protected against occupational detriment. The employee must face all charges in the disciplinary hearing and provide her defences accordingly.”

CETA awaits the employee to present themselves to a hearing chaired by an independent chairperson to present her case.

The part of the story that CETA would like to reject with utter contempt and dismay is the repeated claims of tender irregularities and board nomination manipulations, both of which allegedly involve CETA CEO Malusi Shezi.

The most unfortunate part of the story is that the Sunday Times was selective in its request for commentary, enquiring only about nomination claims, and said nothing of the tender irregularities.

The tender irregularities allegation rests on assertions made by a CETA employee who is currently suspended and poses as a ‘whistleblower’.

Had the Sunday Times raised the employee’s name and their claims, CETA would have alerted them to the true facts of the employee’s case.

The Sunday Times proceeds to report that the employee reported her case to several institutions including the Presidency, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training and the Public Protector.

The Sunday Times then proceeds to suggests that none of these institutions did anything about the alleged claims.

Had the Sunday Times contacted the Public Protector, instead of taking their source’s word, they would have been informed, as CETA was, that an investigation on the matter is ongoing.

On the matter of board nomination manipulation, CETA reiterates what it told the Sunday Times. The allegations against the CETA officials are false and malicious. SETA Boards are appointed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training In accordance with section 11(1) and (2) of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 with limited input for the SETAS or their CEOs.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has undertaken an investigation into the allegations of board manipulation at CETA and found no evidence of such wrongdoing.

The Minister had instructed the National Skills Authority (NSA) to undertake such; and all parties concerned were contacted and interviewed. The said employee quoted by ST is not a party into such a matter; and no need for investigators to engage her/him.

Save for this to confirm that the said employee and her cahoots are engaged in spreading lies and attacking the institutions of the State. 

CETA notes that the ST failed to follow the Press Code, and did not afford sufficient time for responses, which suggest the ST already had written its story and had a clear agenda to smear and attack the CETA and the Minister.

The report on a vital matter involving a strategic Ministry is blemished by this unfortunate distortion.

It is on public record that the CETA has appeared to Parliamentary Committees including the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in February 2025, accompanied by the Minister at the same session to account on all the alleged matters. CETA submitted all requested documentation to SCOPA through the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

The CETA also appeared twice at the Portfolio Commitee on Higher Education and Training in the last 12 months, accompanied by the DHET leadership and the representatives of the Minister on those occasions. All those are indicators of oversight played by the Ministry over the SETAs and matters they account on to Parliament.

All these facts were ignored in tarnishing the image of the SETAs at large when accountability is taking place and evidence at this CETA so far indicates that the recent allegations are not supported by credible evidence but mere speculation and smear campaign.

The matters alleged to have taken place in previous periods as covered in the Duja Reports, were already addressed by the institution; including the probity audits before all awarded tenders are concluded. The conclusions from probity audits in the past 24 months shows no instance of non-compliance.

The probity audit firms performing those assignments on each tender awarded are independent and objective, and are registered with the Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors (IRBA).

That is the highest level of assurance and conclusions about processes compliance with Section 217 of the Constitution, Section 51 of the PFMA and the related CETA policies one can rely on in this regard.

CETA would like to place its disappointment on the record and reserves its rights.

INSIDE EDUCATION