By Charmaine Ndlela

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in partnership with Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) have officially launched a R2.9 billion national internship programme aimed at placing 20,000 unemployed university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college graduates into structured workplace learning over the next 24 months.

Launched at the Mahikeng Hotel School in North West on Friday under the theme, “Experience Multiplied. Impact Magnified,” the programme seeks to bridge the gap between education and employment by giving graduates practical workplace experience, mentorship and exposure to industry while creating a pipeline of skilled workers for employers.

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Delivering his keynote address, Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela said the success of the initiative would ultimately depend on whether it moves graduates from qualifications into meaningful work.

“The test begins after today, and it is a simple test. Does this programme take a young person who has completed a qualification, place them in real work under proper supervision, and move them into employment or enterprise?” Manamela said.

Manamela said South Africa could no longer treat access to education as the end goal when many qualified young people remained locked out of the labour market because they lacked workplace experience.

“A young person can complete a qualification and then spend years being told they lack experience, without anyone explaining how experience is acquired if no employer provides the first opportunity,” he said

He described this gap between education and employment as a barrier the programme was intended to break.

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Services SETA has set aside R2.9 billion to place 20,000 university and TVET college graduates into structured workplace-based learning for 24 months.

He said the initiative would mobilise approximately 3,000 employers nationally, including government departments, municipalities, public entities, state-owned companies, private businesses and small enterprises.

An initial cohort of 1,000 placement-ready graduates has also been made available to the Offices of the Premier in all nine provinces

Manamela called on government departments, municipalities, public entities, state-owned companies, corporations and small businesses to open their workplaces to graduates.

He said employers should provide meaningful work, capable mentors and opportunities for young people to gain practical skills.

“Employers cannot remain at the end of the skills pipeline, waiting to receive a finished product. They must become co-producers of skills, helping design programmes, mentoring young people and considering them for available positions,” Manamela said.

He warned that placements should not become a revolving door where young people repeatedly enter publicly funded programmes without progressing into employment.

“A young person must leave with more than a line on a CV,” he said.

Manamela also highlighted the importance of strengthening the TVET sector and ensuring that young people gain both theoretical knowledge and practical workplace experience.

He said South Africa needed skills across a range of sectors, including the digital economy, services, finance and logistics, as well as occupational trades such as plumbing, electrical work, welding, mechanics and technical occupations.

Services SETA Administrator Lehlogonolo Masoga said the programme represented a commitment to ensuring that academic qualifications translated into meaningful careers.

“Today marks more than the launch of another programme. It marks our collective commitment to ensuring that a qualification does not become the end of a young person’s journey, but rather the beginning of a meaningful career,” Masoga said.

He said thousands of graduates leave universities and TVET colleges each year but struggle to enter the labour market because they lack practical workplace experience.

“We cannot continue to allow experience to become the barrier that prevents talent from contributing to economic growth,” he said.

Masoga said the “X” in PowerX² represented workplace experience, exposure, excellence, expansion and exchange, while the multiplication symbol represented the impact created when government, employers, institutions and mentors work together.

The programme is open to unemployed graduates holding NQF Level 4 to Level 7 qualifications obtained from public universities or TVET colleges.

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Graduates from all fields of study will be considered, with placements matched according to employers’ skills needs.

Masoga said the programme’s success would not be measured only by the number of graduates placed, but by the quality of the placements and the number of participants who progress into permanent employment, entrepreneurship or further opportunities.

“Our real measure of success will be the quality of each placement, the strength of employer participation, the development of workplace competencies and, ultimately, the transition of graduates into employment, entrepreneurship or further career opportunities,” he said.

He also urged employers across the public, private and non-profit sectors to participate by opening their workplaces and providing mentorship.

Following the launch, Manamela and Masoga addressed members of the media, where they provided further details on the implementation of the PowerX² programme.

Manamela told the 20,000 graduates who will benefit from the programme to approach their internships as an opportunity to prove themselves to potential employers.

“To the 20,000 graduates watching, treat this as a job because it’s basically an audition for a job. It’s more than an interview,” Manamela said.

He urged graduates to arrive on time, perform their tasks diligently and listen to their mentors.

“You’ve been let into the workplace to experience what it means to be working,” he said.

Manamela said graduates should use the opportunity not only to gain experience but also to identify possibilities for permanent employment, entrepreneurship or further study.

He also challenged companies to change the way they approach workplace learning by opening their workplaces as training spaces.

“What’s one thing you want companies to do differently after today? Well, let’s open up our workplaces as learning spaces,” he said.

He said factories, offices, hotels, kitchens and other places where work takes place could all provide valuable learning environments for young graduates.

During the media address, Manamela acknowledged that the programme was being launched against a backdrop of high graduate unemployment.

He said graduate unemployment remained closely linked to the country’s weak job creation, stressing that graduates should not be blamed for being unable to find work.

“We don’t obviously want to give false hope, but I think what is important is that this is an internship, it’s an intervention facilitating full-time employment,” he said.

“The fact that a graduate is unemployed is not their fault. It’s because the economy has not been producing jobs.”

Manamela said the programme was intended to help accelerate the transition from qualifications to employment by giving graduates experience that could strengthen their position in the labour market.

Manamela acknowledged concerns about what would happen to graduates who complete the 24-month programme but are not offered permanent employment.

He said that even where a graduate was not immediately absorbed, the workplace experience would improve their chances of securing employment when opportunities became available.

“If they’re not absorbed, at least they’ll be exposed, and will stand a better chance when there is employment available,” he said.

He added that the programme had been designed to ensure graduates could be considered for employment opportunities arising within participating workplaces.

Masoga also addressed concerns around the payment of stipends, assuring prospective interns that funding had already been secured.

“The money is available and we have appointed a competent project management team that will assist us in disbursing those funds to ensure every learner receives their stipend on the agreed payment date,” he said.

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He said Services SETA had also strengthened its implementation systems before launching the programme.

“We wanted to tighten all the requirements before launching. We’re ready now to deliver smoothly,” Masoga said.

Each intern will also receive a laptop when reporting for duty, which Masoga said would become their property after completion of the 24-month programme.

“Every learner who reports for duty will report with a laptop in hand, which will become their property after completing the programme,” he said.

Masoga said Services SETA would use an electronic dashboard to monitor the programme, including attendance, placements and employment outcomes.

“We have an electronic system that allows us to monitor every learner daily. We’ve done extensive preparation to ensure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past,” he said.

He also warned graduates to be vigilant against scams and stressed that no applicant should pay anyone to gain access to the programme.

“No applicant should ever pay anyone for access to this programme,” Masoga said.

The programme will ultimately depend on the cooperation of Services SETA, employers and graduates.

“This work we’re doing is a partnership between three parties. It’s ourselves as Services SETA, the employers and the graduates. We have to work together to make sure that this programme is a success,” he said.

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By Thebe Mabanga

The Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) has partnered with the V&A Waterfront on the iconic precinct’s new R24 billion development programme over the next 10 to 15 years.

CETA is the lead partner in a work-based skills and learning programme linked to the V&A Waterfront’s expansion, which will develop an additional 5,500 square metres land over the next decade and a half.

The development is expected to support 120,000 direct and indirect jobs during this period.

Joining CETA in the partnership are the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA), the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&R SETA) and the Services SETA.

Speaking at the launch of the programme at the Cape Town tourist destination, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela praised the partnership, describing the V&A Waterfront development as “more than a construction site”, but rather “a classroom” and training centre where unemployed young people will gain employment while taking pride in “building something for the country”.

Manamela said the partnership underscores the importance of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) as part of government’s skills development drive.

He said the department aims to secure 100 major employers as Work-Integrated Learning partners by the beginning of next year.

CETA administrator Oupa Nkoane said he hopes the initiative will become a template for similar partnerships in future.

He revealed that CETA is expected to announce a comparable partnership with the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) later this month.

Nkoane said learners participating in the programme will spend more than half of their training on site rather than in the classroom, providing them with practical workplace experience.

He added that CETA has allocated R320 million over three years to the V&A Waterfront project alone.

The programme also places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.

W&R SETA chief executive officer Tom Mkhwanazi said the authority was drawn to the partnership because of the V&A Waterfront’s significant retail component as one of the country’s leading shopping destinations.

Learners placed through the programme are expected to benefit from employment and business opportunities in the retail sector once the development is completed.

National Skills Fund (NSF) chief executive officer Melissa Erra said the fund can help scale successful programmes, expanding them from around 100 beneficiaries to significantly larger numbers when replicated through similar partnerships.

She added that the NSF also supports artisans, electricians and other tradespeople who want to become entrepreneurs by helping them acquire tools and providing entrepreneurship training.

Some of the V&A Waterfront upcoming development include a residential development, boutique hotel and a retirement facility.

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By Johnathan Paoli

South Africa added another medal to its World Athletics U20 Championships haul in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday morning SA time as Marko Ferreira claimed bronze in the men’s 100m final, building on Jaco van Dyk’s shot put bronze from the opening day.

Ferreira, who had won his semifinal in 10.13 seconds on Wednesday, crossed the line in 10.16 to finish third behind American Tate Taylor and Jamaica’s Gary Card.

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Taylor produced one of the performances of the championships so far, winning gold in 9.94 seconds, with Card taking silver in 10.05. Ferreira’s podium finish gave South Africa another reason to celebrate after Van Dyk opened the country’s medal account a day earlier.

The championships, which run from 5 to 9 August at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, have already delivered several impressive performances from South Africa’s 51-member team.

For Van Dyk, Wednesday marked the biggest achievement of his young career.

The 16-year-old booked his place in the men’s shot put final after throwing 19.09 metres during the qualifying round before producing an even better performance under the lights.

Van Dyk launched the shot 19.80m to set a new personal best and secure bronze.

Brazil’s Alessandro Borges won gold with a throw of 20.35m, while South Korea’s Si-hoon Park claimed silver after reaching 20.31m.

Speaking after the competition, Van Dyk said the medal represented months of sacrifice finally paying off.

“It was an amazing feeling fighting back in getting the right distance, all the hard work paying off from January trying to qualify was insane,” he said.

The young thrower also offered simple advice to aspiring athletes.

“Just give your best, anything can happen. You can come first, you can come last, but always give your best,” he said.

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South Africa also produced one of the performances of the opening day in the mixed 4x400m relay, where the team twice lowered the national under-20 record within hours.

Ryno Riekert, Zanté van der Merwe, Abelines Schoeman and Isabella Gunter stopped the clock in 3:22.12 during the morning heats, breaking the existing South African junior record and comfortably qualifying for the evening final.

Team management made one change for the medal race, bringing Davida Strong into the line-up in place of Van der Merwe.

The revised quartet of Riekert, Strong, Schoeman and Gunter went even quicker, clocking 3:21.48 to finish sixth and lower the South African U20 record for a second time on the same day.

Riekert said he was happy with the performance, although the demanding conditions made the race physically taxing.

“Ran the first leg, it’s hot and my hammies [hamstrings] are burning, but it felt very good,” he said.

Schoeman said he was impressed by the atmosphere at Hayward Field.

“It was an incredible experience for me, the people are very nice, the track is actually incredible and it was a very nice experience,” he said.

Gunter echoed those sentiments.

“It was an incredible experience, something I have never felt before,” she said.

The United States won the mixed relay in 3:15.31, the fastest U20 performance in history.

South Africa’s field-event athletes also laid down markers on the opening day.

Jan-Hendrik Heymans produced the best throw of the men’s javelin qualifying competition, launching the spear 76.02m to finish more than six metres ahead of the next-best qualifier.

Compatriot Marques Olivier also progressed comfortably after throwing 68.77m to qualify sixth overall, putting both South Africans into Friday night’s final.

Long jumper Ashlynn Norman also advanced from qualifying with a jump of 6.11m. Norman had entered the championships having jumped a season best of 6.46m in Johannesburg in April.

Ferreira had initially emerged as South Africa’s strongest sprint prospect after winning his 100m semifinal in 10.13.

Mukona Manavhela came agonisingly close to joining him in the final, finishing fourth in his semifinal in 10.38 and missing qualification by one hundredth of a second.

Rume Burger narrowly missed out on the women’s 100m final after placing fourth in her semifinal in 11.53, six hundredths outside the qualifying positions.

South Africa’s middle-distance athletes also enjoyed a productive opening day.

Werner Gouws advanced to the men’s 800m semifinals after finishing third in his heat in 1:47.54, while Emile Els also progressed after placing third in his race in 1:51.11.

Carise van Rooyen joined them by taking third in her women’s 800m heat in 2:06.52 to secure a semifinal place.

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Distance runner Njabulo Hlatshwayo finished 15th in the men’s 5,000m final in 14:13.90 in his first global championship appearance.

Attention now turns to Friday’s third day of competition, where South Africa has another packed programme and several realistic opportunities to progress deep into the championships.

Heymans and Olivier will be among the country’s headline performers when they contest the men’s javelin final after their strong qualifying performances.

Gouws and Els return for the men’s 800m semifinals, while Van Rooyen contests the women’s 800m semifinals.

Several South Africans will also begin their individual campaigns on Friday.

Marine Grobler and Stephane Hook are entered in the women’s javelin qualification, while Daniel von der Heyden begins the decathlon.

Tumi Ramokgopa and Megan Nieman are entered in the women’s 100m hurdles, Michaela Spocter in the women’s high jump and Jayden Parkin in the men’s 110m hurdles.

Burger and Sarah Reed are entered in the women’s 200m, while Manavhela returns in the men’s 200m after narrowly missing the 100m final.

Tshiamo Motsamai and Levi Fick are due to compete in men’s long jump qualification. The Friday evening session also includes the 800m semifinals and the men’s javelin final.

Another athlete attracting attention in the South African squad is 400m hurdler Matodzi Ndou, who arrived in Eugene after setting a South African U20 record of 48.64 seconds earlier this season.

The performance broke the previous national junior mark of 48.73 held by Sokwakhana Zazini, one of South Africa’s most accomplished junior hurdlers.

Zazini went on to win the men’s 400m hurdles gold medal at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, clocking 49.42 in the final. Qatar’s Bassem Hemeida won silver in 49.59, while Brazil’s future Olympic and world medallist Alison dos Santos took bronze in 49.78.

South Africa has a strong history in the 400m hurdles, producing athletes including LJ van Zyl, Llewellyn Herbert, Ockert Cilliers, Alwyn Myburgh and Cornel Fredericks at senior international level.

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The encouraging start in Oregon has come after the team’s build-up was overshadowed by a public funding dispute between Athletics South Africa and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.

ASA maintained before the championships that it had not received its annual government grant by the expected end-of-June deadline, forcing the federation to seek alternative funding and resulting in some athletes’ families contributing towards travel costs.

Acting ASA president John Mathane said the federation had received no departmental funding and had relied on private donors, while ASA covered accommodation costs.

McKenzie disputed the suggestion that his department had jeopardised the team’s participation, saying he had personally approached private companies and secured R4 million after learning there was insufficient funding available to send the team to the United States.

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By Levy Masiteng 

Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has announced a R6 million investment to expand the Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science & Technology’s Promaths Programme in kuGompo, Eastern Cape.

According to MBSA, the initiative is aimed at improving Mathematics and Physical Science performance while exposing learners to career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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The programme will support selected Grade 10 and 11 learners from 18 feeder schools in the Buffalo City Metro District through supplementary academic tuition, teacher development, career guidance and industry exposure.

“As a company synonymous with innovation and technology, we recognise the importance of STEM education in shaping future opportunities for South Africa’s youth. Through our collaboration with Kutlwanong NPC, we are intentional in our support of learner performance in Mathematics and Physical Science, increasing their exposure to STEM-related pathways,” said Mercedes-Benz South Africa chief executive officer Taryn Woodbridge.

The partnership comes as South Africa seeks to increase the number of people qualified for science, engineering and technology occupations identified as being in high demand.

Founded in 2005, Kutlwanong provides supplementary Mathematics and Physical Science tuition, primarily to learners from township and rural communities.

Its Promaths Programme offers tuition outside normal school hours, while also supporting teachers and helping learners prepare for tertiary education and STEM-related careers.

According to Kutlwanong, the organisation has assisted more than 43,000 township youths and produced more than 13,500 Mathematics and Physical Science distinctions since it was established.

The partners said the expanded programme would provide structured academic support beyond the classroom and expose learners to STEM careers through career guidance and engagement with industry.

Teacher development will also form part of the initiative, according to the partners.

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“We are excited to welcome Mercedes-Benz South Africa as a strategic partner in our mission to improve educational outcomes. Their support enables us to extend the reach of the Promaths Programme, benefiting both learners and educators. Together, we will continue to encourage academic excellence and help more young people realise their potential,” said Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science & Technology head of education and acting chief executive officer, Collen Mkhomazi.

MBSA and Kutlwanong said the partnership aimed to improve learner performance and expand access to STEM-related study and career opportunities.

“We are proud to partner with Kutlwanong NPC on this initiative and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on learners and their future prospects,” said Woodbridge.

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By Levy Masiteng 

The Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) has committed to paying outstanding bursary allowances owed to 104 students by Friday, while a further 108 beneficiaries will undergo an expedited documentation and verification process next week.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim announced the commitments on Wednesday following an engagement with TETA over delays in student bursary allowances and apprenticeship stipends.

Cassim met TETA officials at the authority’s offices in Randburg on Tuesday after his helpdesk received complaints from students and apprentices who had gone for months without receiving financial support.

Among those affected were students from the Durban University of Technology and apprentices linked to Delen Digital Solutions and Corporate Training.

The Department of Higher Education and Training said the delays had left many beneficiaries struggling to cover basic living expenses while continuing with their studies or training.

Although Cassim acknowledged TETA’s explanation of the operational challenges that contributed to the backlog, he stressed that students and apprentices should not bear the consequences of administrative inefficiencies.

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Following the meeting, TETA committed to finalising payments owed to 104 students by Friday, 7 August 2026.

A further 108 beneficiaries whose applications require outstanding documentation will undergo an expedited verification process, which is expected to be completed by Friday, 14 August.

Their payments will be processed once the required documentation has been received and the verification process has been completed.

TETA also committed to developing a new payment model that will make greater use of existing university payment systems in an effort to reduce administrative burdens and improve payment turnaround times.

According to the department, the revised system is expected to be introduced during the next academic year in partnership with higher education institutions.

The Deputy Minister’s helpdesk will also escalate TETA bursary-related complaints directly to the authority to allow for faster intervention and the resolution of student queries.

“Students shouldn’t have to choose between studying and worrying about allowances. Through my engagement with TETA, I have emphasised that these payments must be prioritised and completed urgently,” Cassim said.

He said he would continue to intervene when delays in financial support threatened students’ academic progress.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The Eastern Cape Department of Education has infrastructure commitments of R4.069 billion against an available allocation of R2.319 billion, leaving an estimated R1.7 billion funding shortfall as 320 planned projects remain deferred and numerous disaster-damaged schools await rehabilitation.

In a statement outlining its mid-year performance, the department detailed progress and challenges across its academic, infrastructure, employment and extracurricular programmes.

The department said it remained committed to providing safe, functional and conducive learning environments despite significant fiscal constraints and the growing impact of natural disasters.

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For the 2026/27 financial year, it has been allocated R2.319 billion through the Education Infrastructure Grant for infrastructure development.

This includes R41.5 million received through the Infrastructure Programme Compliance Scoring Incentive System and R354.8 million transferred from the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant to accelerate the eradication of pit latrines at schools across the province.

The statement separately refers to a R2.389 billion infrastructure programme divided among 24 strategic priorities, although it does not explain the R70 million difference between that amount and the stated R2.319 billion available allocation.

The largest allocations include R508 million for replacement schools and natural-disaster projects, R372 million for sanitation, R266 million for maintenance and additional classrooms, and R267 million for programme support and non-infrastructure activities.

A further R34.5 million has been allocated through the Early Childhood Development Grant for the construction and maintenance of 61 ECD centres during the financial year.

The department said disasters in May 2026 damaged 166 schools, with repairs and reconstruction expected to cost about R455 million.

The June 2025 floods, which claimed the lives of learners, damaged a further 169 schools and require an estimated R472 million for recovery.

However, the department has received only R170 million for disaster recovery, leaving numerous schools awaiting rehabilitation.

The unfunded commitments have affected the department’s infrastructure planning, resulting in the deferment of 320 projects.

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Although R90 million was allocated for planning during the current financial year, the department estimates that about R1.1 billion will be required to implement those projects in future years.

Overall infrastructure commitments now stand at R4.069 billion against the R2.319 billion allocation, resulting in the stated shortfall of approximately R1.7 billion.

Of this, R1.1 billion relates to deferred projects in the planning phase, while R572 million represents reductions affecting projects already under construction in stages five and six.

The department also reported a 0.6 percentage-point decline in Grade 12 performance during Term 1 compared with the same period in 2025.

Term 2 performance declined to 78%, approximately three percentage points below the corresponding 2025 result, prompting the department to call for more intensive academic support during the third term.

It said its intervention programme would focus on strengthening curriculum leadership, improving teacher development, expanding learner-support programmes and increasing monitoring and accountability.

On infrastructure delivery, the department said it completed 177 projects across all education districts during the 2025/26 financial year, including eight new and replacement schools.

It also completed 375 additional classrooms, 25 Grade R classrooms and 94 water infrastructure projects, significantly improving water access in rural communities.

A further 75 maintenance projects and 14 ECD maintenance projects were completed, while improved sanitation facilities, security fencing, electricity upgrades and specialist teaching spaces were delivered at several schools.

Twenty-two school-construction projects remained under implementation at the end of the financial year, providing a pipeline for delivery during 2026/27.

The department said the R354 million received through the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant had been ring-fenced for the eradication of pit latrines at 123 schools.

However, its 2026/27 programme provides for sanitation infrastructure to be completed at 63 of the 123 targeted schools during the current financial year.

The total amount needed to eradicate pit latrines at all affected Eastern Cape schools is estimated at approximately R3.2 billion.

Between 2025 and June 2026, the department officially handed over 13 newly completed schools, representing an investment of more than R725 million.

The department also highlighted progress under its 2026/27 Annual Recruitment Plan, which covers posts at head office, district offices, schools, youth programmes, hostels and non-teaching support services.

The plan includes 6,683 youth-programme posts, 1,661 non-teaching support posts at schools and 883 hostel-support posts.

Through the Basic Education Employment Initiative, the department created 28,709 employment opportunities across all 12 education districts during the previous financial year.

To date, 975 school-based posts, including principals and Grade R practitioners, have been filled, while a further 1,145 posts have been advertised.

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The advertised posts include 788 departmental head positions, 210 deputy principal posts and 147 principal posts.

The department also celebrated the Eastern Cape’s performance at the 2026 South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod National Championships, where the province won 13 trophies and finished second overall behind KwaZulu-Natal.

At the separate National Education Excellence Awards, the province received seven awards, while all 12 Eastern Cape districts were recognised for achieving pass rates above 80% in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations.

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