Obstetric and reproductive organisations have urged calm after a University of the Free State (UFS) study detected endocrine-disrupting chemicals in some menstrual products, saying the research did not establish that the products cause infertility, hormonal dysfunction or cancer.
The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG), together with the South African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy (SASREG) and the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA), said the UFS study did not assess health risks and did not prove harm to consumers.
UFS said its research, which tested sanitary pads and liners sold in South Africa for chemicals including phthalates, bisphenols and parabens, was not designed to establish a direct causal link to disease, and called for further research.
In their joint statement, the medical organisations said any implication of harm to the general public had not been proven and urged the public not to panic.
The organisations said endocrine disruptors are common and found in low concentrations in a range of foodstuffs and household products, making their presence in menstrual products “not unexpected”.
“Previous published studies have indeed shown that small amounts of these endocrine disruptors are present in menstrual health products,” said Dr Jack Biko, president of SASREG.
According to the organisations, a study conducted in China reported that sanitary pads contributed only 6.8% of total exposure from feminine personal care products.
“It is clear that perspective is required in interpreting the data. The findings should not be isolated to sanitary products, which appear to be a small contributor to the overall total of endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure,” Biko said.
The organisations noted that the UFS study did not recommend that any of the tested products be withdrawn from the market.
“Currently, we do not have evidence to recommend any change to usual practice, nor do we have evidence to advise patients to stop using menstrual health products,” he added.
However, they urged South African regulatory authorities to conduct further testing and additional studies to determine the safety of these products and clarify any potential long-term risks.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said on Wednesday that 8.5% (33,650) of applications for the 2026 placement of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners through its Online Admissions System were submitted during the late application period from December 17, 2025, to January 30, 2026.
The department said that about 484 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners had remained unplaced in Ekurhuleni, specifically in Tembisa and Kempton Park, but that by Tuesday, March 3, all remaining learners were successfully placed at alternative schools in their respective areas.
“In numbers, the total figure of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners placed for the 2026 academic year through Gauteng’s Online Admissions system is 392,224,” the department said.
“The main application period, which ran from July 24 to August 5, 2025, accounts for most of these placements.”
The department said schools will implement catch-up programmes to help learners recover lost curriculum time.
GDE MEC Matome Chiloane said the online admissions system remains a key tool in transforming access to education.
South African education group Advtech is planning to build a new university “mega-campus” in Durban after securing 10 hectares of land for the development.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first phase scheduled to be completed and open in 2029, the group said.
The initial build is planned to accommodate about 8,000 students and include a purpose-built 500-bed student residence.
A second phase, targeted for completion in 2035, would expand overall capacity to about 10,500 students and add a further 500 residence beds, taking planned on-site accommodation to 1,000 beds, Advtech said.
The Durban project follows two other major tertiary developments that opened in February 2026 — the Emeris/Vega Sandton mega-campus in Johannesburg and the Emeris Nelson Mandela Bay mega-campus in Gqeberha.
Advtech Group Chief Executive Geoff Whyte said the Durban development forms part of the group’s longer-term growth plans in higher education.
“As South Africa confronts high youth unemployment and rapidly shifting market demands, sustained investment in higher education remains critical,” Whyte said.
“This new Durban mega-campus reflects our confidence in the province and our commitment to equipping students with the workplace readiness skills required to thrive in a fast-changing economy.”
Whyte also pointed to recent policy developments that, he said, create a formal pathway for private higher education institutions to apply for university status.
“We support a clear and transparent process for awarding university status. As soon as the framework allows, Emeris will apply,” he said.
Petrol 93 (ULP and LRP) will increase by 20 cents per litre, while Petrol 95 (ULP and LRP) will also go up by 20 cents per litre.
Both grades of diesel will see steeper hikes at the wholesale level. Diesel (0.05% sulphur) will increase by 62 cents per litre, while Diesel (0.005% sulphur) will rise by 65 cents per litre, the statement said.
The price of illuminating paraffin (wholesale) will increase by 44 cents per litre, while the Single Maximum National Retail Price (SMNRP) for illuminating paraffin will rise by 58 cents per litre.
The maximum retail price of LPGas will increase by 23 cents per kilogram, while the increase will be 26 cents per kilogram in the Western Cape, where LPGas is imported through the Port of Saldanha Bay.
The Road Freight Association (RFA) has warned consumers to brace for higher costs at the till following the increases.
“The increase in fuel prices in March 2026 is a direct result of upward pressure on the international price of oil due to both supply and logistics risks following the start of hostilities between Iran, the US, and Israel. The Road Freight Association has noted with both dismay and concern that the price of diesel is increasing between R0.60 and R0.65 per litre,” said Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association.
Mathanzima Mweli, Director-General of the Department of Basic Education, has continued with the monitoring and support programme for the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) projects under Batch 4 in the Eastern Cape.
The Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative was launched in 2018 and is funded through the School Infrastructure Backlog Grant. Its primary objective is to replace unsafe pit latrines with appropriate and safe sanitation facilities in line with the Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure.
The SAFE programme focuses on eradicating dangerous pit toilets in schools across the country. As of late 2024, more than 3,100 projects have been completed out of over 3,800 identified schools. The initiative includes the construction of proper flushing toilets, rainwater harvesting systems, and in some cases, facilities that are accessible to learners with disabilities.
At L.F. May Primary School in Mbaxa Location, King William’s Town, the impact of the project has is a positive impact in the school with learners showing gratitude and excitement of the new toilets that are safe and clean.
The principal of the school, Sulo Ge, said they are grateful for the new facilities.
“We did receive the toilet project from the Department of Basic Education, and we are very happy and comfortable with it because the old one was a pit toilet and it was dangerous for the children,” said Ge.
“Now these toilets are much more comfortable. We are happy as a school to receive them, and the children are safe very safe. They are clean and safe.”
According to the department, the current eradication rate stands at 99% of all pit toilets identified during the 2018 SAFE Initiative audit, marking significant progress in improving school infrastructure and ensuring learner safety.
A fire has caused extensive damage to offices, equipment and administrative records at Kgamanyane Secondary School in Moruleng Village, North West.
North West Department of Education spokesperson Vuyo Mantshule told Inside Education police were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire, including if arson was involved.
A member of the School Governing Body, who lives near the premises, noticed the fire in the early hours of Sunday morning and alerted the school principal. The principal contacted the fire department and police.
The department said that by the time fire services arrived, the blaze had already destroyed a significant portion of the administrative block, including the
staff room, food storage area, staff kitchen, ablution facilities for males and females, administration offices, the sick bay and the strong room.
Provincial education MEC Viola Motsumi said the fire was a serious setback for the school community.
“These acts are efforts that undermine education infrastructure in the province and cannot be tolerated,” Motsumi said.
“I want to assure the school management, learners, parents, and the broader community that the department will provide the necessary support to ensure that teaching and learning continue without disruption.”
Motsumi called on law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and urged community members to come forward with any information that may help identify those responsible.
An assessment by the department’s infrastructure unit will determine the full extent of the damage.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela says decisive interventions at three troubled Sector Education and Training Authorities have begun restoring governance and unlocking billions in mismanaged funds, six months after the SETAs were placed under administration.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela. Photo: Eddie Mtsweni
Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, Manamela reported progress at the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA), and the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA), which were placed under administration on 19 August 2025, less than a month after his appointment.
He said the move followed systemic governance failures, including repeated qualified audit opinions, irregular appointments, ballooning financial commitments and alleged corruption.
“At Services SETA we have recouped about R600 million and started a process to recoup the additional R2.8 billion. That is money which will go back into training,” Manamela said.
The entity, which had received seven consecutive qualified audit opinions, is also under investigation by the Hawks and the Public Protector over alleged fraud and corruption.
An acting chief financial officer with a CA qualification was appointed in February, and the minister said no new irregular or wasteful expenditure has been recorded since administration began.
“This is money that belongs to levy payers and must serve learners,” he said.
A 20,000-internship programme and a R1.3 billion bursary scheme supporting 15,000 TVET and university students are currently underway.
The SETA has also entered a three-year partnership with Takealot to create 20,000 training and job opportunities for unemployed youth.
At the Construction SETA, administrator Oupa Nkoane has implemented a four-phase recovery plan, with 23 of 35 activities completed. A new chief financial officer started work on 2 March, ending nearly two years of acting financial leadership.
The SETA had accumulated four consecutive qualified audits and overcommitted discretionary grants by R1.4 billion against an annual income of R500 million.
“We have wiped off almost a billion rand of commitments from previous financial years that we consider invalid and non-responsive so that we can redirect that money for a proper cause,” Nkoane said.
He added that 10 officials are facing disciplinary processes, with at least three cases potentially resulting in dismissal, while six investigations linked to Auditor-General findings are under way.
“At LGSETA, part of the actions were to discipline the former CEO and to open criminal cases against former board members who participated in the irregular appointment,” administrator Zukile Mvalo said.
The LGSETA is implementing recommendations from a National Treasury forensic report that found the irregular appointment of its chief executive officer and the unlawful dissolution of its audit and risk committee. A criminal case has been opened with the Hawks, while the Public Protector is conducting a sector-wide probe.
Mvalo said 14,400 beneficiaries were enrolled in learning programmes by 31 December 2025, 58% of whom are unemployed youth. Revenue for the third quarter stood at just over R900 million, with expenditure of about R690 million.
In a related intervention, Manamela announced the appointment of Dr Robert Nkuna as administrator of the College of Cape Town following findings of governance collapse, irregular appointments and procurement breaches. The college council will be dissolved, and Nkuna will serve for up to two years.
“These institutions have been established to serve our communities and cannot become personal fiefdoms of individuals,” Manamela said.
“Where there was instability six months ago, governance has been restored,” he added, noting that new accounting authorities would be appointed before administration ends in August.
Last week, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana presented a Budget that will accelerate the momentum of inclusive growth, create jobs and tackle poverty.
Every budgetary allocation is a developmental choice: ensuring there are teachers in classrooms, nurses and doctors in clinics, electricity and basic services in homes and businesses, infrastructure to grow the economy, and employment opportunities for communities.
After a prolonged period of economic uncertainty, this Budget builds on the progress made over the last few years to stabilise, reform and transform our economy. Improvements in public finances, stabilising debt, a narrowing budget deficit, credit rating upgrades and improved market confidence all signal the beginning of an economic recovery.
A stable macroeconomic environment boosts investor confidence and increases government’s capacity to invest in both growth and poverty relief without compromising sustainability.
The stabilisation of public finances gives us space to accelerate public investment, sustain the social wage, and direct resources to reforms that drive growth and job creation.
The social wage accounts for over 60% of government spending after interest payments. The allocation for this financial year will enable us to provide healthcare services to 84% of the population, social grants to 26.5 million beneficiaries and free basic services to over 11 million indigent households. It will support approximately 13.6 million learners at school.
This is a redistributive budget that reduces inequality, builds the capabilities of our people and strengthens the foundations for inclusive growth.
Basic education is one of those key foundations. We will be allocating additional spending to employ more educators. Additional funds have been allocated to the early childhood development grant to reach an additional 300,000 children and to align the National School Nutrition Programme to food inflation.
The Budget supports inclusive growth by accelerating public investment, particularly on infrastructure. Improved infrastructure lowers the cost of doing business, raises productivity and supports our country’s exports.
Over the next three years, public spending on infrastructure will exceed R1 trillion to build and maintain roads and rail lines, expand energy infrastructure, and build and maintain water and sanitation infrastructure.
Government alone cannot finance the scale of infrastructure our country needs. We are therefore mobilising investment from private and other sources, and opening the space for public-private partnerships. As we encourage private investment in electricity, rail and port operations, we are maintaining state ownership of strategic national infrastructure.
Under Operation Vulindlela, government departments and public entities are undertaking impactful reforms in energy, telecommunications, water and logistics.
The Budget acknowledges that many municipalities are in financial distress, driven by weak revenue collection, poor management and substantial service delivery backlogs.
Many municipalities are not spending appropriately. For several years, water and electricity revenue has not been invested in infrastructure maintenance or expansion, but has been redirected to cover other municipal costs.
Local government finances have to be placed on a more sustainable footing to support the delivery of basic services. Over the medium term, R19.2 billion will be reallocated to the reform of electricity, water, sanitation and solid waste trading services in metros. These allocations will be linked to performance against clear targets.
The Municipal Infrastructure Grant is being reformed to address underspending and misuse of funds. Over the next three years, R86.9 billion has been allocated to support the provision of free basic services to indigent households.
This year’s budget reflects government’s goals of inclusive growth and job creation through additional support for mass public employment programmes and relief for small businesses.
An additional R4.1 billion has been allocated to the Presidential Employment Stimulus to provide work opportunities to more young South Africans.
To ease the regulatory burden for small businesses, the threshold for businesses to register for VAT has been more than doubled. For small business owners who wish to sell or transfer their businesses, the capital gains tax exemption has also been significantly increased.
Together, these measures will help small and informal businesses to grow and employ more South Africans.
This year’s Budget focuses on three imperatives: maintaining fiscal sustainability, driving inclusive growth and protecting society’s most vulnerable. It is a balanced budget that reflects the realities of our economy, limited financial resources, high unemployment and urgent infrastructure needs.
As we build on the momentum of our recovery, we will continue to be guided by fiscal discipline, structural reform, targeted investment and an overarching commitment to improving the material conditions of every South African.
In a country where youth unemployment and socio-economic challenges dominate headlines, Senty Maphosa is quietly rewriting the narrative by building community and restoring a sense of dignity and belonging.
Born and raised in Kamagugu, Mbombela, Mpumalanga, twenty-eight-year-old Maphosa’s journey into community development was shaped not in boardrooms but on dusty soccer fields, in early childhood development (ECD) centres, and through conversations with young people searching for direction.
“I’ve always believed that when you help one person, you create a ripple effect,” she says. “You might not see it immediately, but positive contribution always comes back in some form.”
Her early work at Royal Chili’s Soccer Academy became a turning point. Initially assisting with administrative tasks, Maphosa realised the academy was more than sport – it was keeping boys off the streets, away from drugs, crime, and teenage pregnancy.
She pushed for recognition events to celebrate the boys’ achievements, understanding that acknowledgment fuels motivation.
Driven by a desire to expand her impact, Maphosa moved to Johannesburg, where she describes her time in the city as a strategic mission: “I am here to learn, grow, and network, and find myself in a position where I can implement and develop projects with support from various stakeholders.”
Her work with Jozi My Jozi’s Education workstream has positioned her as a central connector, aligning people, stakeholders, and purpose.
She coordinated a career expo at Phefeni Secondary and held a successful ECD mass registration drive, assisting nearly 100 practitioners to navigate the government’s transition from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education.
“It’s not just about telling them to register,” she says.
“It’s about helping them understand what compliance means and connecting them to people who can help.”
Maphosa’s motivation is rooted in impact, not financial gain.
Her volunteer work with river cleanups and youth programmes reflects her commitment to sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
She emphasises empathy and community love, seeing herself as a safety net for those in need and a catalyst for small, meaningful acts that ripple into larger change.
Though her work is grounded in grassroots engagement, Maphosa’s ambitions extend to academic and national leadership.
She envisions pursuing a Master’s degree and eventually a PhD on community deterioration and social cohesion, with long-term aspirations to serve as a presidential advisor.
From organising soccer medal ceremonies to connecting ECD practitioners with government compliance systems, Maphosa’s work is a testament to the power of purposeful action.
Her journey shows that impact does not always begin with funding or titles – sometimes it starts with seeing a gap and stepping into it.
“You never know where life will take you, just keep doing your best and the rest will align,” she says.
The start of a new academic year is meant to bring hope and excitement. Instead, for thousands of students across South Africa, it begins with anxiety and uncertainty over one basic necessity — accommodation.
At several institutions, on-campus residences are prioritised for first-year students, leaving unfunded and postgraduate students scrambling for alternatives.
While some postgraduate students secure funding before registering, many do not and are left juggling tuition, food and accommodation costs at the same time.
Students across the country have raised serious concerns about the shortage of available beds. Many come from other provinces and have no relatives nearby to rely on.
A young female student at Nelson Mandela University in the Eastern Cape, who spoke on condition of anonymity, shared her traumatic experience with Inside Education.
“I need help. I had sexual intercourse with the residence owner in Summerstrand because he promised to get me accommodation afterwards. I’m unfunded. Now he’s ghosting my texts when I ask about the accommodation. Where can I report this? I feel betrayed and manipulated. I’m stranded.”
Her account illustrates the dangerous situations students can find themselves in when desperation overrides safety.
At Stellenbosch University, management says that while the national demand for student accommodation is well documented, the primary challenge facing its students is affordability rather than availability.
Meanwhile, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has launched door-to-door inspections of student accommodation facilities. Unsafe properties are being flagged and students relocated, while non-compliant providers are ordered to improve conditions.
However, NSFAS currently owes accommodation providers R44 million in overdue rental fees. As a result, some landlords have threatened to evict students, leaving them without clear alternatives.
Across the country, universities are facing mounting pressure as protests over unpaid fees and housing shortages intensify. At the University of Cape Town (UCT), a student has already been provisionally suspended, with further disciplinary action possible.
Private housing providers argue that strict accreditation standards set by government and higher education authorities are increasing development costs. Buildings must meet specific design and safety requirements before qualifying for student funding support, limiting how cheaply accommodation can be developed.
According to private sector stakeholders, the problem is not excessive profit margins but a mismatch between actual development costs and what NSFAS contributes toward student accommodation.
The crisis extends beyond universities to TVET colleges, where access to housing has become one of the most significant barriers to higher education.
Kamogelo Nkabinde, a second-year accounting student at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), said he is being pushed toward deregistration.
“I’m being pushed into a corner to deregister, but I’m still looking for other options. The SRC organised a strike, but Red Ants were deployed around campus to prevent mass gatherings. They did collect a list of students without residence.”
A report by the International Finance Corporation states that hundreds of thousands of students struggle each year to secure decent housing. Without dignified accommodation, students face costly commutes or unsafe living conditions, adding financial stress and distracting them from their academic responsibilities.
Leading institutions such as the University of the Witwatersrand and UCT can accommodate only a fraction of qualifying students. At the University of Johannesburg, nearly 359,000 applications compete for just over 10,500 undergraduate spaces.
At Rhodes University, students have reportedly resorted to sleeping outside due to housing shortages — a stark reflection of the severity of the crisis.
Student accommodation crisis. PHOTO: X/Supplied
According to the Tiso Foundation, 30% of students are unable to graduate due to outstanding fees, some of which are linked to accommodation costs.
Speaking toInside Education, the foundation’s programme manager, Miriam Mokwena, said affordability remains the biggest challenge.
“It’s not just the availability of accommodation — it’s the cost. When students are forced to rely on private accommodation, it doesn’t come cheap. We’ve seen accommodation costs more than double over the past five years.”
She said the foundation provides holistic bursaries covering tuition, accommodation, textbooks, meals and learning materials. However, rising accommodation costs have forced it to reduce the number of students it can support.
“If we planned to take 100 students, we now have to lower that number because accommodation costs have escalated. If affordable university accommodation were available, we could support more students.”
Mokwena added that many private funders prioritise tuition and exclude accommodation from funding packages, further worsening the crisis.
“We often see students who receive partial funding — tuition is covered, but accommodation is not. That leaves them stranded.”
She believes the Department of Higher Education must invest more in infrastructure and consider reclaiming or purchasing properties near universities that have been sold to private entities.
“They need to invest more in infrastructure and purchase available properties around universities.”
She also called for improved coordination between universities and Student Representative Councils (SRCs).
“Universities already know how many students they plan to onboard and how many beds are available. That information should be shared early so students can plan accordingly.”
For Gugulethu Mashinini, a postgraduate student at the University of the Free State, January was one of the most difficult months of her life.
She returned to campus without accommodation and moved from one friend’s room to another before eventually securing a place to stay. She recalls sleepless nights, overwhelming pressure and financial strain at home, where her grandmother was unemployed.
The student accommodation crisis is not new, but it is deepening. With an estimated national shortage of more than 200,000 beds, the problem reflects systemic failures that stretch from university admissions to daily student living conditions.
