Sports Reporter

Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Peace Mabe has congratulated the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) Sailing Academy after its youth-crewed yacht, Alexforbes Angel Wings, won first place on handicap in the 2025 Cape2Rio Yacht Race.

The team – from Masiphumelele, Khayelitsha, Grassy Park, and Athlone — completed the 3300 nautical miles of transatlantic crossing in 19 days, overcoming technical challenges in the Atlantic Ocean to secure a result that drew national attention and boosted South Africa’s profile in elite offshore sailing.

“This victory is about far more than winning a race,” said Mabe on Sunday.

“It is about young sailors who were given the platform to apply their training in a real-world environment, make critical decisions in difficult conditions, and support one another when things did not go according to plan. The RCYC Sailing Academy, through this team, has shown the world what South African youth can achieve when talent is matched with structure, discipline and belief.”

The deputy minister said the Cape2Rio Yacht Race remained one of South Africa’s most prestigious offshore sporting events, requiring stamina, technical skill, psychological resilience and the ability to navigate unpredictable sea and weather systems over thousands of nautical miles.

Official race communications showed the crew held a strong advantage for much of the race and remained competitive after a boom failure during a gybe in the early hours of Saturday, January 10, while leading by about 25 hours. After an assessment, the team continued racing by re-hoisting the mainsail without a boom.

 “What stands out about this achievement is not only the result, but the manner in which it was achieved,” said the deputy minister.

“It speaks to the maturity of a young crew that stayed focused, calm and strategic under pressure. This is a victory that belongs to the team, their coaches, their families, the RCYC Sailing Academy, and every South African who believes in the power of sport to transform lives.”

Quoting from the Constitution, Mabe said South Africa was founded on values that include “human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms.”

“These are not abstract words in a document,” she said. “They are a national promise. And we honour that promise when young South Africans — regardless of background — are given fair access to opportunity, the support to grow, and the chance to excel, including in sporting spaces that shape their futures.”

“This is a victory for all South Africans and it deserves to be recognised as one of the year’s significant international sporting achievements,” she said.

“It is especially meaningful that this result comes from a youth crew that demonstrated courage, composure and collective responsibility in one of the world’s most unforgiving sporting environments.”

“The RCYC Sailing Academy has delivered a result that will inspire the next generation. Alexforbes Angel Wings are champions, and their story will encourage young South Africans to dream bigger, train harder, and believe that they belong on the world stage.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

The death toll from a scholar transport crash near Vanderbijlpark has risen to 13, the Gauteng Department of Education said on Monday afternoon.

“All information remains preliminary as investigations continue,” the department added.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said he was “deeply devastated” by the crash, which occurred at around 7am when a private scholar transport vehicle collided with a side tipper truck on Fred Droste Road.

“It really is a tragic day for us as the Department and the province. We extend our deepest condolences to the learners, families, and school communities affected. We call for greater vigilance when it comes to scholar transports, particularly private scholar transport,” said Chiloane.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said she had learned “with deep sadness” of the crash.

“The Department of Basic Education stands ready to provide psychosocial support to affected learners, educators, and families, in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Education,” Gwarube said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement in which he addressed the crash and the weekend violence on the Cape Flats.

He said he was saddened by the loss of life of children in both incidents and offered his “deepest sympathies to all families and communities concerned”.

“Our children are the nation’s most precious assets and we must do all we can – from observing the rules of the road to the quality of service providers appointed to transport scholars – to protect learners.”

The president said national and provincial authorities would provide families and schools with psychosocial support.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Cyril Ramaphosa

Last week, the Minister of Basic Education announced that the Matric Class of 2025 had made history by achieving the highest pass rate in our country’s history. More than 650,000 learners passed the National Senior Certificate, achieving a pass rate of 88%.

We congratulate all the learners and their teachers, families and communities for this great achievement. We applaud every learner who sat these exams. 

The matric results have shown a steady improvement over many years, both in the quantity and the quality of the achievements. They have contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of South Africans older than 20 who have a matric qualification, increasing from 30% in 2002 to 52% in 2024.

This outstanding achievement shows the value of the investment we are making in education and the efforts we have made to ensure that all children, regardless of their background and gender, have access to quality education.

Global experience has shown that one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty is to ensure that girl children receive a good education.

It is therefore significant that in 2025 more girls sat for the matric exams than boys, and that the pass rates of boys and girls were much the same.

A higher proportion of girls attained admission to Bachelor studies than boys, and nearly twice as many obtained distinctions. This bodes well for the continuation of their studies at universities and colleges.

It is also significant that more than two-thirds of all bachelor passes came from schools in the most disadvantaged communities, classified as quintiles 1-3.

This is both a testament to the determination of these learners and their teachers, and to the effectiveness of policies like no-fee schools and the child support grant.

Taken together with the expansion in recent years of funding for tertiary students from poor backgrounds, these results give us encouragement that many of these young people will be able to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

We are encouraged by the fact that 90% of learners with special education needs passed matric and 52% achieved bachelor passes, both higher than the national average. Our task is now to ensure that more learners with special needs are able to write matric exams.

As we applaud these great results, we must acknowledge that challenges remain.

Of the 1.2 million children who started grade one in 2014, only 778,000 made it through to grade 12 in 2025. That’s nearly half a million young people who left school before finishing. As we strive to improve the quality of our matric results, we must work harder to ensure that more children complete their schooling.

Another challenge is the drop in performance in subjects like mathematics. While more learners are taking these subjects, we have seen a drop in the pass rates for mathematics and accounting. These are subjects that our learners need to excel at if they are to succeed in a rapidly changing economy.

In working to address these challenges, we are starting with the foundations of learning. In the same week that the results came out for the class of 2025, the class of 2037 started their first day of grade one.

From this moment, they are starting their preparations for matric and beyond.

That is why are placing greater emphasis and making more investment into the early years of schooling. We have made Grade R compulsory and embarked on an ambitious drive to register and provide subsidies to more early childhood development centres.

We are strengthening early grade reading, improving teaching materials and focusing on teacher development in the early grades.

By investing in children at the start of their school career, by giving them a solid educational foundation, we are preparing them for success.

We are working to ensure that they all finish their schooling, that they excel in matric and that they go on to thrive in everything they do.

The achievements of the Class of 2025 must inspire and encourage all the years of learners that are to follow.

Cyril Ramaphosa is President of South Africa.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

Nearly 100 high school learners in the North West missed the first days of the 2026 academic year after their parents withdrew them from Kagiso Barolong Secondary School over transport concerns, prompting an urgent appeal from Education MEC Viola Motsumi for learners to return to class.

The North West Department of Education confirmed that parents of 99 learners from Moshawane Village removed their children from Kagiso Barolong Secondary School in Logageng Village following the reopening of schools. The learners, all in Grades 10, 11 and 12, were instead taken to Tsoseletso Primary School in Moshawane, despite it not offering secondary-level education.

As a result, the affected learners have received no formal teaching for the first three days of the school term. The department said Tsoseletso Primary School does not have secondary school teachers, nor do the learners have access to their textbooks, stationery or other learning materials.

The parents’ decision was driven by concerns about the daily travel learners must undertake between the two villages. The department acknowledged these concerns and said it is exploring interventions to address the transportation challenges.

In a media statement issued on Monday, MEC Motsumi expressed deep concern over the situation, warning that the disruption places learners’ academic futures at risk.

“I am deeply troubled that learners were withdrawn from a school with secondary school teachers and taken to a school with primary school teachers,” Motsumi said. 

“Such actions place these learners at risk of academic failure.”

Motsumi said the withdrawal comes at a time when the province is seeking to build on recent academic successes.

Just last week, the North West Class of 2025 achieved a pass rate of 88.49% in the NSC exams.  

“It is important that we sustain this positive performance,” she said. “I cannot allow actions that compromise the future of our children.”

The MEC appealed directly to parents to allow learners to return to Kagiso Barolong Secondary School while discussions continue to find a long-term solution to the transport issue.

“I therefore plead with parents to allow learners to return to school while we, as adults, work together to find a lasting solution to the problem,” she said, adding that she is confident the department and parents will reach common ground.

In a further development, Motsumi confirmed that the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management has replaced the previous scholar transport service provider with a new company. The move, she said, is aimed at ensuring that learners arrive at school on time and travel safely.

The department reiterated that keeping learners out of properly resourced schools undermines their right to education and urged parents to prioritise uninterrupted learning as engagements continue.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima 

The Department of Correctional Services announced on Monday that its correctional services schools achieved an overall 94.4% pass rate in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, surpassing the national 88% pass rate recorded by the Department of Basic Education.

The announcement was made at an awards ceremony at the Goodwood Correctional Facility in Cape Town.

Minister Pieter Groenewald said the results highlighted the transformative power of education, even within correctional environments.

“We gather not merely to announce results, but to celebrate resilience, discipline and educational excellence,” Groenewald said.

According to the department, 180 learners from 18 correctional services schools sat for the NSC examinations in 2025. Fifteen schools achieved a 100% pass rate, up from 13 schools in 2024, while learners collectively earned 132 distinctions.

Two schools — Usethubeni Correctional School in Durban-Westville and Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre School in Gauteng — have now maintained a 100% pass rate for ten consecutive years. The Johannesburg Female Correctional Centre School also recorded a full pass rate.

Nkosinathi Jabulani Gumede from Usethubeni Correctional School became the first learner in the programme to achieve a national average of 85.5%, with his highest marks 95% in Business Studies and 94% in Life Orientation.

Tyrique Jooste, a parolee, was the second learner from the Baviaanspoort Youth School to achieve a national average of 84.4%, with his highest marks 90% in Afrikaans First Additional Language and 89% in Life Orientation.

KwaZulu-Natal was recognised for producing the highest number of matriculants, with 50 learners, of whom 45 achieved Bachelor passes. Usethubeni Correctional School alone accounted for 31 candidates, all of whom obtained Bachelor-level passes.

“None of this would be possible without the unwavering commitment of our educators, who continue to teach under uniquely challenging conditions with dedication and professionalism,” Groenewald said.

“We commend Heads of Correctional Centres and all officials whose daily support ensures that learners remain focused in an environment where distractions may emerge,” he said.

Groenewald stressed the importance of maintaining “a water-tight, credible, and ethical examination environment,” noting that correctional services schools have conducted NSC examinations without irregularities for many years.

“Our results are not a favour, but they are earned, and they are credible,” he said.

The minister raised concerns about the declining uptake of Mathematics in correctional schools, with more learners opting for Mathematical Literacy. He said Mathematics had not been a major challenge in previous years, and added that with proper support and the recruitment of capable teachers, learners would be able to succeed.

“South Africa is deliberately channelling learners towards gateway subjects because this is what our economy demands and the path a developing country like ours must pursue,” he said.

Groenewald also called for urgent intervention to address gender disparities in the education system, noting that girls outnumbered boys in the 2025 NSC cohort by 56% to 44%.

“Our inmate population is largely male, and many require educational redirection and support. As we often say, corrections is a societal responsibility, just as education is a societal responsibility,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has confirmed that 11 schoolchildren died on Monday on their way to school, after a private minibus taxi collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal.

Emergency services are currently at the scene, and authorities have secured the area as investigations into the cause of the collision are underway.

ALSO READ: Hybrid learning urged as public universities hit limits on first-year intake

According to GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona, preliminary reports indicate that the 11 learners died at the scene, while five others sustained critical injuries and are receiving medical care.

“At this stage the scene remains active, and emergency services are still attending to the accident,” Mabona added.

Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane is making his way to the scene to oversee the emergency response and support efforts.

This is a developing story

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

South Africa’s universities are facing a daunting challenge: the number of matriculants qualifying for university far outstrips the spaces available.

Higher Education Deputy Director-General Sam Zungu has said public universities can accommodate about 230,000 new students this academic year, leaving well over 100,000 qualified learners without places.

Zungu has urged institutions to combine in-person teaching with online delivery to increase capacity, instead of waiting years for new infrastructure.

The chairman of parliament’s education committee, Tebogo Letsie, has ventilated the same concerns as Zungu.

He said public universities have capacity for about 235,000 first-year students, while more than 245,000 candidates obtained bachelor-level passes in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations.

“The number of candidates passing matric is higher than the opportunities available in these types of institutions,” Letsie said, attributing the shortfall to limited government subsidies and funding pressures affecting the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Universities are already feeling the pressure.

As previously published by Inside Education, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) received more than 326,546 applications for just 9,124 first-year places.

The University of Johannesburg received 450,000 applications and 870,000 study choices for the 2026 academic year, but can accommodate only 11,200 first-year students.

At Stellenbosch University (SU), 106,578 individual undergraduate applicants are competing for an enrolment target of 6,074 places.  

The mismatch between demand and capacity is not new, but it has worsened as record numbers of learners achieve bachelor-level passes.

To address the crunch, experts are increasingly calling for expanded hybrid and distance learning.

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela said the approach proved effective during the COVID-19 lockdown, when students transitioned to online learning platforms.

“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that online learning is a viable solution,” he said in September 2025 during a media briefing on limited university spaces.

“The reality is that about 850,000 young people will be sitting for exams. If all of them pass, the system can only absorb half.”

Some universities have already started shifting in that direction. The University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) has increased its online and part-time course offerings to accommodate more students.

“We have grown in size by increasing alternative options of online and part-time courses as there are limits on the capacity of the physical infrastructure to grow,” said WITS Registrar, Carol Crosley.

The University of South Africa (Unisa), a long-established open distance and e-learning institution, has for years delivered degrees to hundreds of thousands of students across the continent, demonstrating that remote learning can work at scale.

Zungu acknowledged that significant barriers remain, including unreliable internet access, high data costs and a lack of devices, but said partnerships with telecom providers and subsidised resources could help ensure that tools adopted in an emergency become part of a long-term strategy to expand access.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

The KwaZulu-Natal education department has issued guidelines for National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates on how to apply for re-marking or re-checking of their 2025 examination scripts.

It has also reminded candidates that registration for the May/June 2026 NSC exams (re-write or absence) closes on 6 February.

The province topped the country’s matric rankings for the Class of 2025 with a 90.6% pass rate.

“Candidates who are dissatisfied with their examination results may apply for a re-mark or recheck of their examination scripts upon payment of the prescribed fees,” the department said.

“Applications for remarking or re-checking must be submitted once only at the relevant District or Regional Office.”

The department said the prescribed fees are R120 for a re-mark and R30 for a re-check. Candidates can also ask to view their scripts after the re-marking or re-checking process is complete, at a fee of R20, it said.

“The Department reminds all candidates that the closing date for registration for the NSC May/June 2026 examinations is 06 February 2026,” it added.

The department said that candidates may only register for subjects for which they were registered in a previous November examination and for which a valid School-Based Assessment (SBA) mark exists.

“Candidates who were absent from one or more external examination papers in the November examinations due to valid reasons (such as illness, medical reasons, death in the immediate family, or other special circumstances) may apply.

“Candidates wishing to improve their overall achievement status or rewrite one or more subjects may register. Where a candidate was absent from one or more papers with valid reasons, all papers for the registered subject(s) must be written.

“Candidates affected by examination irregularities may be granted a provincial exemption, pending the outcome of investigations.

“Candidates who were unable to write or complete one or more examination papers for reasons other than illness or death in the immediate family must submit a written report from the school principal to the Head of Assessment and Examinations.

“Result queries must be submitted for investigation within 30 days after the release of results.

“Candidates must ensure that their names and identity numbers are correctly reflected on their statements of results and report any required corrections to the Department before 14 February 2026.”

Documentary proof substantiating reasons for absenteeism must be submitted at the relevant centres of registration.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

A rare insect last recorded by scientists in 1980 has been found again in KwaZulu-Natal’s Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has said.

The finding of the granulate bladder grasshopper (Prostalia granulata) highlights “the critical biodiversity value of smaller protected areas managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife,”  Ezemvelo communications manager Musa Mntambo said.

Ezemvelo is the province’s conservation agency tasked with nature conservation of protected and non-protected areas in KZN. It also promotes eco-tourism facilities.  

“Previously, the granulate bladder grasshopper was known from only three imprecise historical locations in Mpumalanga, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and the Eastern Cape,” said Mntambo in a statement.

South Africa’s national Red List assessment classifies Prostalia granulata as endangered.  

The species was photographed on 1 December in the reserve.

 “This discovery highlights how even relatively small protected areas play a vital role in conserving South Africa’s biodiversity, including species that are rarely seen and poorly understood, findings like this reaffirm the importance of ongoing research, monitoring and effective management of our protected areas.” said Dr Adrian Armstrong, Ezemvelo’s Animal Scientist (Herpetofauna & Invertebrates).

Situated on the KZN South Coast, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve was proclaimed a reserve in 1971 and later enlarged.

It is recognised for conserving the critically endangered Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld grassland and a number of endangered plant species.

Rediscoveries can improve scientific understanding of where a species persists, but they do not necessarily mean it is secure. “Rediscovering a rare species doesn’t automatically mean it is saved,” Christina Biggs, Rewild’s lost species officer, wrote in a 2024 blog on what typically follows rediscoveries.

Mntambo said bladder grasshoppers are named for the swollen abdomen of the male. That abdomen, he said, “amplifies their distinctive calls that can be heard hundreds of metres away”.

The grasshopper can be identified by the tiny raised bumps, or granules, on its body.

“Despite its importance, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve faces several threats, including illegal livestock grazing, unauthorised burning and insufficient funding,” Mntambo said.

“A potential future threat to this endangered species is the drift of pesticides from neighbouring macadamia orchards,” he added.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has dismissed what he said were misleading and unfounded claims that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) prioritises foreign nationals over South African learners when placing children in public schools.

“We wish to reiterate that the department does not have a directive that instructs schools or officials to prioritise foreign nationals during learner placements,” Chiloane said. 

ALSO READ: WATCH: How floods, a cash crunch and staff shortages couldn’t stop KZN from topping 2025 NSC results

He added that no school is permitted to place foreign national learners ahead of South African learners, warning that any school or official found contravening admissions policies would face consequences.

The department said applications for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 to 11 are handled directly by schools, unlike the online admissions system used for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placements, which limits the department’s ability to influence placements.

Schools have been opened since Wednesday, and the department said only 2,763 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners remained unplaced across the province, including 735 Grade 1 learners and 2,028 Grade 8 learners. 

ALSO READ: St John’s College top achiever Siza Gule set for Harvard

“The only limitation that currently poses a challenge is the lack of capacity in schools, particularly in high-pressure areas. Despite this, the department is working diligently to identify available spaces and ensure that every learner is placed as fairly and efficiently as possible,” the department said.

The GDE Online Admissions system has already placed 27,140 late applicants for Grade 1 and Grade 8, including 14,273 Grade 1 learners and 12,867 Grade 8 learners. 

“We remain committed to ensuring that every child who qualifies for placement is accommodated at a public school in Gauteng,” Chiloane said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION