By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has moved to clarify the process surrounding his controversial appointment of administrators to three troubled Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), following growing concerns from Parliament and sector stakeholders.

The minister’s clarification, issued in a formal media statement on Friday night, sought to address these concerns directly.

“Our priority is to stabilise governance in these SETAs, protect public funds and strengthen confidence in the skills development system. By involving the Public Service Commission (PSC) in this process, we are adding an extra layer of integrity to ensure that the focus remains on delivering skills for South Africa’s youth and workers,” Manamela said.

Earlier this week, Manamela placed the Services SETA, the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) and the Local Government SETA under administration.

Acting in terms of Section 15(1) of the Skills Development Act, the minister dissolved appointed administrators to take over leadership functions, citing the need to restore governance and accountability in the bodies responsible for managing billions in public funds earmarked for skills training.

Since then, questions have mounted over whether the appointments were appropriate and whether the process followed the necessary standards of transparency and accountability.

Manamela emphasised that due process had been followed before confirming any of the appointments.

He detailed three critical steps in the vetting process: identifying candidates with the required qualifications and experience; conducting due diligence, including reviewing public allegations and controversies linked to candidates; and giving candidates the opportunity to respond to these issues directly.

The minister said that only after the department was satisfied that the appointees could carry out the mandate of stabilising the SETAs, were the appointments confirmed. This demonstrated that the process was not arbitrary and that scrutiny of the administrators’ past records had been factored into decision-making.

Acknowledging ongoing public scepticism, Manamela announced an additional safeguard. The PSC will now conduct independent fit-and-proper assessments and conflict of interest vetting of all three appointees.

The PSC is a constitutional body mandated to promote fair, professional and accountable public administration.

According to the minister, all three administrators have agreed to subject themselves to the PSC’s scrutiny and to accept the outcomes of the process.

Beyond the vetting process, Manamela also outlined immediate performance expectations for the new administrators.

Each of the three SETAs under administration has been directed to publish a 90-day stabilisation plan.

These plans must include clear, measurable indicators and will serve as roadmaps for restoring governance stability, addressing financial risks and ensuring accountability.

Importantly, these stabilisation plans will not be confined to internal reporting.

The minister has instructed that they be made available to Parliament, stakeholders and the public for monitoring.

This, he said, would allow for full transparency around progress and create an additional layer of oversight over how the SETAs were managed during the administration period.

Manamela framed these measures as part of a broader effort to restore confidence in the country’s skills development system.

The Democratic Alliance has welcomed Manamela’s decision to hand over his controversial appointments to the PSC for investigation, but insisted that Parliament must still urgently hold him accountable.

DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau described Manamela’s referral of the issue to the PSC as “a huge admission of scandal”, adding that the DA would submit terms of reference to the PSC to ensure its investigation was not narrowly confined.

“Manamela has handed over his own appointees to the Public Service Commission as the public scrutiny has heightened and pressure on him is mounting. Manamela is making a huge admission of scandal, by bringing in the Public Service Commission,” Khakhau said.

The party is calling for the probe to include possible party-political links, cadre deployment practices and findings from past forensic reports into SETA mismanagement.

Over the years, the SETAs have been plagued by repeated scandals involving procurement irregularities, maladministration and wasteful expenditure.

The minister expressed his trust that these steps would address public concerns, reinforce oversight and ensure that SETAs were able to deliver effectively on their critical mandate.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

A total of 738,445 Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications were recorded by the Gauteng education department’s online admissions system as of Thursday, MEC Matome Chiloane said.

A total of 315,865 applications were for Grade 1 and 422,580 for Grade 8.

School placement is set to start on 16 October 2025. 

Chiloane told reporters on Friday that during this period, the department would start sending placement offers to parents and guardians with complete applications via SMS.

“Parents with complete applications are advised to patiently await placement offers,” he said. 

He said the department had identified high-pressure areas where schools received an overwhelming number of applicants, exceeding their capacity. 

Approximately 277 primary schools and 221 secondary schools have registered more applications than available capacity. 

The primary schools with highest applications include Laerskool Akasia in the Tshwane with 1304 applications and 250 capacity, and Palmridge Primary School in Ekurhuleni with 1172 applications and space for 200 learners.

Secondary schools include Hoërskool Langehoven in Tshwane with 3122 applications and 310 capacity, and Alberton High School in Ekurhuleni with 2590 applications and 200 capacity.

“In such cases, applicants will be transferred to the next closest school with available space,” Chiloane said. 

To address infrastructure needs, the department has implemented various strategies, including providing self-built classrooms and mobile classrooms, and establishing new satellite schools.

A total of 786 mobile classrooms has been delivered to 223 schools across 15 districts.

The department said it was constructing 18 new schools, with 10 being entirely new and 8 serving as replacement schools.

“The construction of 12 of 18 new schools have commenced and estimated time of completion is in 2026,” it said.

Meanwhile, parents have been reminded to submit certified copies of documents to schools or upload them online by noon on 9 September 2025. 

Chiloane said that so far, 97,719 incomplete applications have been recorded.

“[A total] of 20,265 registered parent details only, 30,547 registered parent and learner details only, and 46,907 registered parent and learner details with incomplete applications,” he said.

Chiloane urged parents to apply online without delay. The application period closes on 29 August 2025 at midnight.

Video By: Kgalalelo Setlhare Mogapi

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on government, business and civil society to join forces in protecting and strengthening the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), describing it as one of the country’s most precious assets and a vital lifeline for millions of learners.

Speaking at the 3rd annual Oceana CEO-CSI engagement at Oceana Maritime Academy at the Hout Bay Harbour, Gwarube urged stakeholders to treat school nutrition as a “national compact” that demanded accountability, transparency and sustainable partnerships.

“As we gather under the banner of corporate social investment, I want to call on all of us to treat the NSNP as a national compact. A compact that says no child should go hungry. No child should be poisoned by negligence or greed. No child should be left behind because we failed to protect the most basic right, the right to food,” Gwarube said.

The event, held under the theme “Feeding Futures: Food Security for Children in South Africa”, brought together government, corporate leaders and civil society organisations including the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA).

Oceana, which is one of the country’s largest fishing companies, hosted the engagement as part of its corporate social investment (CSI) programme.

Gwarube highlighted the link between early childhood development, nutrition and long-term educational outcomes.

Drawing on the story of two children, Sipho and Lindiwe, she illustrated how unequal access to resources in the early years led to divergent life trajectories.

The minister emphasised that the differences between them were opportunity instead of intelligence or potential, noting that while Sipho had access to quality early learning, Lindiwe entered Grade 1 already three years behind her peers.

“This story reminds us that if we fail to secure strong foundations in early childhood and nutrition, our ambitions for excellence at higher levels of learning will never materialise,” Gwarube said.

Launched in 1994, the NSNP has grown into one of Africa’s largest feeding schemes, providing daily meals to about 9.7 million learners across South Africa.

Gwarube stressed that the programme was more than just a meal.

“For millions of children, it is the difference between being able to concentrate and dropping out. We have evidence that absenteeism has decreased in schools because learners know they will receive a meal. Nutrition is the difference between dignity and despair, between opportunity and exclusion,” she said.

However, the minister also acknowledged the programme’s vulnerabilities.

Cases of expired or contaminated food deliveries, tender manipulation and profiteering by suppliers have undermined trust and placed children at risk.

The minister argued that safeguarding the NSNP required partnerships that went beyond financial contributions.

She commended Oceana for training thousands of food handlers in schools, ensuring that food safety and hygiene standards were upheld.

Gwarube said that accountability must be upheld at every level—from government officials and suppliers to schools and communities.

Parents, NGOs and business partners should also serve as watchdogs to ensure quality and transparency.

The minister challenged corporate South Africa to think beyond short-term CSI projects and invest in long-term, system-wide partnerships that built resilience in the school nutrition value chain.

“How do we ensure that local communities benefit, that small-scale farmers, fishermen, and food producers are part of the solution? How do we innovate in food distribution, storage, and monitoring so that we prevent waste and extend reach?” she asked.

She also linked nutrition to broader societal challenges, including climate resilience, sustainable food systems and job creation for young people.

The engagement showcased the role of organisations such as the PSFA, which has decades of experience in feeding children in disadvantaged communities.

Oceana, meanwhile, has positioned itself as both a food producer and a partner in ensuring that food safety knowledge reaches schools.

Oceana CEO Neville Brink reaffirmed the company’s commitment to CSI initiatives that go beyond philanthropy, focusing instead on practical interventions that strengthen communities.

“We believe that food security is central to education and that no child should face the burden of learning on an empty stomach,” Brink said.

Gwarube framed the NSNP as a test of South Africa’s collective will to prioritise children’s wellbeing over corruption and self-interest.

“It tests whether we can protect our children from the worst instincts of corruption. It tests whether the government and business can act together for the public good. If we pass this test, the dividends will be extraordinary: better learning outcomes, better health, greater dignity, and greater trust,” she said.

The minister stressed that feeding children was not only a moral responsibility, but also an investment in South Africa’s future.

She described the challenge now being in sustaining momentum, expanding partnerships and ensuring that no child was left behind due to hunger or negligence.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

Education committee chairpersons in Parliament have condemned Operation Dudula’s threats to disrupt schools in 2026 over the presence of foreign learners, warning such actions violate children’s constitutional rights.

Speaking during a joint social services cluster briefing, Select Committee on Education chairperson Makhi Feni said the threats were “unacceptable” and undermined the rule of law. 

“South Africa is a constitutional democracy, not a banana republic. No organisation has the right to threaten disruptions that would harm our children’s education,” he said.

Feni stressed that undocumented children should not be automatically treated as illegal, noting that many lacked documents due to lost paperwork or delays at Home Affairs.

He warned that the organisation’s group’s approach could easily harm legitimate South African children and reiterated that Parliament would not tolerate any violation of children’s rights.

“How do you even begin to identify a child who is undocumented?” Feni asked. 

“An undocumented child is not automatically an illegal child. To adopt a blanket approach of destruction is dangerous. Civil society organisations should protect rights, not trample on them.”

He further cautioned that while Parliament was open to engagement with civil society groups, law enforcement would intervene if organisations attempted to disrupt schooling. 

“We are willing to talk, but if there is no cooperation, decisive action will be taken. No one will be allowed to deny children their education,” he said

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education chairperson Joy Maimela used the same platform to raise concerns about the slow rollout of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act regulations. 

She criticised the Department of Basic Education for releasing only two of the eight regulations, missing its June deadline.

“The piecemeal release of regulations creates confusion and delays implementation. Some of the terminology reintroduced through regulations was already rejected during public consultations, and we cannot accept backdoor tactics by the executive,” Maimela reiterated.

She highlighted specific issues with admission policies and “feeder zones” that could reinforce local segregation, contrary to the Act’s intent of inclusivity. 

The committee has called for a full review of the regulations and immediate release of the remaining six.

Maimela also raised concern about infrastructure and teacher readiness for the compulsory introduction of Grade R, citing shortages of classrooms, materials and adequately qualified teachers. 

Government has allocated R100 million for infrastructure and R10 billion for teacher capacitation in the 2025/26 financial year, but MPs warn progress remains too slow.

On school safety, both committees expressed alarm over rising incidents of bullying and violence, including viral videos of learners assaulting peers and teachers.

The chairperson further criticised weaknesses in school governance, saying many School Governing Bodies (SGBs) lacked the capacity to manage maintenance budgets or enforce codes of conduct. 

“You go to a school, classes are broken, doors are broken and yet there is a budget allocated. But the SGB does not have capacity to utilise that budget, so the school deteriorates further,” she said.

She argued for stronger training programmes for SGBs, particularly to help them address safety and discipline, insisting that corporal punishment could not return as a solution.

“We must find new mechanisms to instil discipline and create a culture of respect between learners and teachers,” Maimela added.

On school safety, Maimela pointed to shocking incidents including the suicide of a learner in Limpopo after bullying, and the stabbing of a pupil in Gauteng. She said such cases underscored the urgency of effective safety programmes and warned that existing police-school partnerships were often ineffective. 

“We were told there is a cop attached to each school, but in reality, some only visit once every six months. That has no real impact,” she said.

The committee has demanded more robust cooperation between schools, police and communities to ensure results-driven interventions.

Maimela also drew attention to overcrowding in Western Cape schools, citing oversight visits that found up to 80 learners crammed into technical classrooms.

“It is unworkable. Teachers cannot teach effectively under such conditions, and learners are denied the attention they need,” she said, urging the department to consider temporary classrooms as a short-term solution.

She warned that inequalities were being perpetuated by current funding models, with township schools starved of resources while former model-C schools enjoy low learner-teacher ratios.

On Grade R, Maimela said while most provinces had long implemented the reception year, the Western Cape lagged behind, creating placement backlogs. 

She stressed that Grade R practitioners must be fully qualified and remunerated as teachers, and urged the department to continue capacitating those already in the system.

The chairperson has welcomed the Education Labour Relations Council’s (ELRC) teacher headcount initiative, saying it would “open up space” for new teachers to be employed by removing ghost posts.

On both the Dudula threats and departmental shortcomings, the committees were united in warning that South Africa cannot afford to gamble with the education of its children. 

“Every learner in this country, South African or foreign, has the right to learn in a safe environment. That is non-negotiable,” said Maimela.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

A robot called IRIS, which can master all subjects from Grade R to tertiary level in all 11 official languages, has been launched in Durban. 

The robot is the brainchild of Thandoh Gumede, who is the founder of BSG Technologies and a former teacher. She hails from KwaMnqobokazi in Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal.

Gumede said she developed IRIS after experiencing challenges while teaching maths and Physical Science at a local school.

It is equipped with software and a keyboard. It utilises deep machine learning, responds to prompts using voice commands and has a special feature of being multilingual, unlike other AI tools. 

The launch was officiated by Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina in collaboration with the provincial education department.

Gina said in a statement that the project aimed to bridge educational gaps, particularly in maths, science and technology, and inspire learners to become familiar with technology.

During the launch, IRIS was put to test by answering complex questions from learners, including Suhani Singh from Reddam House Ballito. 

She asked the robot to explain the depreciation method in accounting.

Much to the amusement of the audience, IRIS not only explained but illustrated the method through examples. 

During the launch, IRIS left the audience in awe with its impressive capabilities. 

“The launch was incredible, I’m very impressed with IRIS,” Singh said.

Gumede has won several international awards and was crowned Miss Tech Universe 2024-2025 in Thailand. 

“Here at home, Ms Gumede is already taking South Africa by storm and is fondly called ‘Mamaka IRIS’,” Gina said. 

The minister said women must lead in shaping the future of science, innovation and fields like AI.

“These are the skills that will drive tomorrow’s economy, and they require contributions from both men and women,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Gumede stressed the need for partnerships to introduce IRIS to every classroom in South Africa by the end of October this year. 

“IRIS does not belong to me. It belongs to every one of us in South Africa, and that is the reason we need partnerships to be able to do that,” she said. 

Gumede also quashed fears that AI would replace teachers.

“Rather, IRIS will enhance learning and teaching in South Africa, and help to close the educational gaps in the country, particularly in maths, science and technology. We are in the process of furnishing our office spaces and manufacturing plant with all the necessary equipment needed to scale up production,” she said.

Mbongiseni Mazibuko, who is the deputy director-general for curriculum management and delivery at the KwaZulu-Natal education department, emphasised the need to equip teachers with AI skills. 

“Technology is not here to replace teachers, but rather innovations like IRIS will be part and parcel of the future of teaching and learning. We need to make our teachers ready for these technologies, and as a department, we embrace IRIS,” he said.

Gina encouraged the women and youth to take advantage of the department’s funding instruments, such as the Women in Technology and Innovation and the Technology Innovation Agency’s Grassroots Innovation Programme.  

INSIDE POLITICS

By Thapelo Molefe

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed administrators to three SETAs, a move which has been criticised by the Democratic Alliance that is now demanding their removal.

Manamela appointed Matjie Lehlogonolo Alfred Masoga as administrator of the Services SETA, Dithabe Oupa Nkoane as administrator of the Construction Education & Training Authority, and Zukile Christopher Mvalo as administrator of the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority.

“This intervention follows serious and entrenched governance failures in these entities, including procurement irregularities, lapses in oversight and broad instability, which threaten their ability to deliver on their mandate to advance skills development,” read a statement issued by the department.

However, the Democratic Alliance has taken issue with the appointees.

DA national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said the party had written an urgent letter to Manamela demanding that he withdraw the appointments and replaced them with independent, non-political figures.

The DA cited past controversies involving the administrators.

Nkoane, who was a former Emfuleni municipal manager, was implicated in a forensic report detailing the mismanagement of R872 million in the municipality. 

Masoga, who was a former Limpopo MEC and deputy speaker, was named in a forensic report for allegedly backdating a R4.4 million communications contract while serving as CEO of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone.

Mvalo, who was currently the deputy director-general for skills development in the department, has overseen all SETAs since 2017. The DA party argues that under his watch, SETAs have remained unstable.

Manamela said the administrators had a clear mandate to restore integrity, enforce consequence management where necessary, and ensure that learners and workers were not prejudiced by institutional weaknesses.

The department described Masoga as a “seasoned public leader” with experience in economic development and strategic management, Nkoane as a veteran administrator with more than two decades of experience in governance and infrastructure, and Mvalo as a senior executive with legal expertise and extensive skills development oversight.

“This decision marks the first step in stabilising SETA governance. We cannot allow governance failures to erode the public’s confidence in our skills development system,” Manamela said.

The mandate of the administrators includes restoring financial integrity in line with the Public Finance Management Act, ensuring continuity of learner and employer support programmes, and overseeing the reconstitution of new SETA boards.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

The Rhodesfield Engineering School of Specialisation has received a decommissioned Embraer 135 passenger jet from Airlink that will be used as a teaching aid.

The Gauteng education department said the donation aimed to provide learners with hands-on experience in aviation maintenance and engineering. 

The school, in Kempton Park in Ekurhuleni, currently has 45 learners enrolled in aviation as their eighth matric subject. The 13 girls and 32 boys are mostly from Tembisa.

“We want youngsters to dream and believe that a career in aviation is within their reach, whether in the flight deck, the cabin, the maintenance hangar or at head office,” said de Villiers Engelbrecht, the Airlink CEO. 

Principal Caroline Ngxanga welcomed the aircraft as an “invaluable teaching aid”.

She said that learners would now be able to bridge theory with practice in ways that were previously inaccessible.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi described the handover as a historic moment for township education.

“My dream was very simple; you cannot have a school a stone’s throw from the airport while our children remain excluded from the economy of aviation. Today, Airlink has agreed to be a partner for life,” Lesufi said.

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane said that learners deserved world-class education.

“… it’s a declaration that the sky is no longer the limit, but the beginning of infinite possibilities,” he said.

The department said the aircraft would expose learners to hydraulics, avionics, flight control and engine maintenance. This would provide them with real-world experience in modern aerospace engineering and design.

“This aircraft will revolutionise learning,” Chiloane said during the handover.

“Learners will no longer just read about aviation. They will live it. They will touch, explore and master the various systems that power the aviation industry.

“The aviation industry contributes billions to our GDP and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. By training world-class professionals here in Gauteng, we are investing in the prosperity that will ripple across generations.”

Lesufi said there were a few other projects that would still be launched, including an ICT school that would focus on data, connectivity and telecommunications.

“In life, if you need the chalk, the chalkboard and duster, you must go to a museum. You must never come to our schools. Because in our school, it’s one learner, one tablet, one teacher, one laptop, one school, one connectivity. And that’s how we take the future forward. Let’s keep that future,” he said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has called for deliberate, collective action to dismantle systemic barriers holding women back, while recognising the progress achieved over three decades of democracy.

Delivering the keynote address at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Women’s Dialogue, Kubayi emphasised that the responsibility for achieving gender equality could not rest solely on women.

“Women emancipation cannot only be left to women; it is everyone’s business. We must deliberately design gender-conscious programmes to empower women, otherwise they will always fall behind,” she said.

The dialogue, which was held under the theme “Empowering Women and Being the Voices of Change: What Are We Doing as Women in Leadership to Empower Other Women?”, forms part of Women’s Month commemorations.

It brought together academics, municipal leaders, business executives, union representatives and students.

VUT Vice-Chancellor Khehla Ndlovu opened proceedings by urging participants to “reimagine responsibility” in leadership and to amplify diverse women’s voices in building a more inclusive society.

Kubayi acknowledged the resilience of women who had broken barriers across society, despite immense challenges.

However, she warned that many obstacles remain entrenched.

“As we celebrate women who, against all odds, have managed to climb the social ladder, we must more vigorously fight to break the unnecessary barriers they have had to overcome,” she said.

Citing Statistics South Africa figures, she noted that women continued to face higher unemployment rates than men, with Black African women being the most vulnerable.

In the first quarter of 2025, their unemployment rate stood at 40.2%.

Women were also more likely to be employed in the informal sector, seasonal work, or jobs with unsocial hours, often making it difficult to balance family and professional responsibilities.

The minister highlighted further structural barriers, including limited access to transport, male-dominated workplace cultures and the persistence of discriminatory practices that prevented women from advancing to higher levels of responsibility.

“Women are frequently passed over for promotions, and certain work areas remain traditional male preserves. These are not natural laws, they are rules we must change,” she stated.

Despite these challenges, Kubayi stressed that measurable gains have been made where conscious interventions have been applied.

In the judiciary, she noted, representation has shifted dramatically since 1994.

Then, of 165 judges, 160 were white men, three were black men, and two were white women, with no black women represented.

Today, of the 252 judges in superior courts, 121 are women.

Six of the country’s 15 superior courts, including the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal, are led by women.

The magistracy has shown even greater transformation: of 1724 magistrates, 934 are women, representing 54% of the total.

“This progress shows what can be achieved when deliberate and conscious effort is made to promote women,” Kubayi explained.

By contrast, she observed that private legal practice remained slow to transform.

Many black and female legal practitioners were confined to areas such as labour or family law, with limited opportunities to develop expertise in lucrative, complex fields like commercial or maritime law.

“As a result, many women, especially black women, struggle to build sustainable practices and are more likely to leave the profession,” she said.

The minister argued that transformation required going beyond individual advancement to systemic change.

“Our efforts as individuals can move the needle only so far. The work needed to achieve gender equality requires that we challenge frameworks of power and change the rules to ensure that women benefit,” she said.

She endorsed recommendations from the United Nations on advancing gender equality in South Africa, including targeted recruitment and training for women in underrepresented sectors, stronger legislation ensuring equal pay for equal work, workplace policies that promote work–life balance, such as flexible hours and parental leave for both men and women, and affordable, quality care for children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

“These are concrete steps that can make workplaces safer and more inclusive for women, particularly in traditionally male-dominated sectors,” she said.

Kubayi concluded with a call for collective responsibility in accelerating women’s emancipation.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal has renewed calls for the urgent eradication of pit latrines across the province following a six-year-old boy dying after falling into an unsecured septic tank at Umzila Primary School in Dannhauser.

DA KZN education spokesperson Sakhile Mngadi conducted an oversight inspection at the school, alongside local councilors on Monday. He met with the school principal and the School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson to assess the situation.

“From what we’ve seen, Umzila Primary is a neat, well-managed school. The principal and the School Governing Body chairperson explained what transpired, and it appears to have been a tragic accident rather than direct negligence by staff. However, the broader issue lies in systemic infrastructure failures that place children at risk,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The child reportedly slipped away from the Grade R dismissal line on 6 August and was playing near the school toilets when the accident occurred. The underground septic tank, which had not been properly cordoned off, gave way.

In the aftermath, the school moved quickly to cover the area with metal sheets and rocks as an immediate safety measure.

The oversight visit formed part of the party’s wider campaign to monitor school sanitation across the province.

Speaking after the visit, Mngadi said the tragedy was a stark reminder of the dangers posed by inadequate sanitation infrastructure.

He stressed that the incident underlined the importance of national efforts to eliminate unsafe toilets in schools.

“Minister Siviwe Gwarube has launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate pit latrines. Nationally, we have reached 97% eradication, but KwaZulu-Natal is lagging behind. There are still 254 schools in this province, about 4% of all schools, that rely on pit toilets. Every one of those schools represents children at risk, and every delay is a risk too great,” he added.

The DA has formally written to acting chairperson of the KZN legislature’s education portfolio committee, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, requesting that a full report on the Umzila incident be tabled at the committee’s September meeting.

“It is vital that we get a comprehensive account of what happened and what measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence. The Kunene family deserves closure, and learners across the province deserve safe, dignified facilities,” Mngadi said.

The DA commended private sector stakeholders who have offered assistance to Umzila Primary and other schools in Dannhauser following the incident.

In his on-site remarks, Mngadi reiterated that the visit was not about blame, but about accountability and urgent action.

“We can’t say this was a matter of negligence by school management. But we can say this was preventable if basic sanitation infrastructure had been prioritised. When we don’t get the basics right, we risk tragic instances like this one,” he said.

Mngadi confirmed that the DA would extend its oversight programme to other schools in the province to establish the extent of unsafe sanitation infrastructure and report back to the public.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The Congress of SA Students (Cosas) has called for the urgent removal of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, accusing her of stalling the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act.

Cosas president Kamogelo Nkosi told reporters on Monday that the “protracted delay” in finalising and gazetting key regulations, particularly on language and admission policies, was harming the education system and denying children their constitutional right to education.

“The Bela Act was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September 2024, yet its provisions, including compulsory Grade R admission, remain unimplemented. Many children are still at home without access to schooling, a direct result of the Department of Basic Education’s failures,” Nkosi said.

He claimed Gwarube had issued non-binding draft guidelines instead of formal regulations, describing them as “a pure representation of rebellion by the department against lawful provisions of the country”. 

“These failures affect not only admissions but also language policies, leaving the education of black and underprivileged children at ransom to political manoeuvres,” he said.

The student body also accused the Democratic Alliance, under whose banner Gwarube serves, of pursuing “anti-progress and neo-liberal” agendas that fragment the development and growth of the black child.

“The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has warned against deliberate stalling tactics and emphasised the urgent need for clarity. The delay not only hampers the transformation goals of the Bela Act but also risks deepening inequalities in access to quality education,” Nkosi said.

Beyond the law, Cosas also raised alarm about bullying and safety in schools, warning that incidents of violence continued to rise without decisive intervention from the Department.

Gwarube’s office rejected Cosas’s claims. 

Her media liaison officer, Lukhanyo Vangqa, said the statement was “self-evidently untrue,” noting that the minister had already released the first set of BELA regulations for public comment. 

“She has taken a modularised release approach to ensure that as soon as a regulation is approved by the office of the Chief State Law Advisor, it is immediately released to the public,” Vangqa said.

Despite this, Cosas leaders warned that unless their demands are met, they would mobilise students and march to the department’s headquarters in Pretoria.

INSIDE EDUCATION