South Africa must move beyond Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy design, development and debate to implementation to address challenges including youth unemployment.
This is according to the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW), which this week convened the 5th Annual Future of Work Dialogue in Pretoria.
Held under the theme “Turning the Developmental Tide: Advancing Africa’s Resilient Future Through AI-Enabled Innovation Pathways,” the dialogue aims to shift focus from what artificial intelligence might mean for South Africa to what institutions must do now to ensure that technological change supports jobs, skills development and inclusive economic growth.
According to Statistics South Africa, the official unemployment rate stood at 33,6% in the second quarter of 2026, while unemployment among young people remained particularly high, at 62,8% for those aged 15 to 24 and 41,8% for those aged 25 to 34.
“The future of work is not a conversation about the future anymore. It is already here,” said Tseliso Mohlomi, Senior Director in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal at TUT.
The IFOW argues that the critical issue is no longer whether AI will transform work, but whether South Africa is moving quickly and coherently enough to shape that transformation in its own interests.
“The young South African searching for work today cannot wait another five years for institutions to perfect their strategies. Neither can businesses searching for skills that our education and training system is not yet producing at sufficient scale,” said Mohlomi.
The Institute noted that South Africa has developed strategies and policy initiatives addressing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation, innovation and skills development — the challenge is increasingly one of coordinated implementation.
Mohlomi said that at last year’s dialogue, participants proposed the establishment of a National AI Implementation Council capable of coordinating government, universities and industry against a measurable and time-bound delivery roadmap.
This year’s dialogue aims to carry that conversation forward by proposing concrete steps and division of responsibilities across government, business and academia with timelines and measurable outcomes.
Mohlomi said the urgency and the AI gap are particularly evident in the relationship between education and employment, noting: “Employers continue to require rapidly evolving capabilities, while universities and colleges must prepare students for occupations and technologies changing faster than conventional curriculum cycles.”
The IFOW argued that a more integrated response is required — including earlier identification of emerging skills by employers, faster curriculum adaptation, expanded apprenticeships and workplace learning, and greater industry investment in the skills pipelines from which businesses ultimately recruit.
This process also involves Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)
The IFOW has identified immediate skills demand emerging in areas including cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI literacy and data engineering, while South Africa and the continent will increasingly need deeper capability in areas such as microelectronics, advanced manufacturing and embedded AI systems.
Mohlomi said the country and the continent should reject the idea that it must choose between technological advancement and employment, arguing that the two are not mutually exclusive, but can complement and reinforce each other.
The University of South Africa (Unisa) is set to confer 16,900 qualifications during its 2026 Spring Graduation Season.
The ceremonies run from 5 October to 28 November and will take place in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Mbombela, Polokwane, East London, Durban and Cape Town.
The university said the qualifications include 417 master’s and 300 doctoral degrees.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the ZK Matthews Great Hall in Pretoria on Monday, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula reminded graduates that graduation should not be viewed simply as the end of an academic journey, but as the beginning of a new chapter.
“Graduation is more than the conferral of a qualification. It is a declaration that they are equipped to interrogate complexity, challenge assumptions and contribute meaningfully to society,” LenkaBula said.
Using spring as a metaphor for renewal, LenkaBula told graduates that the season represented an opportunity for them to flourish after years of hard work and perseverance.
“Spring is a new year. It represents the new beginnings, and new beginnings after a long winter. It is a season that we see what was planted, and when we see the flowers, the beginning of flowers,” she said.
“And therefore, dear graduates, it’s your season to flower. It is your season to flourish. It is your season to celebrate the accomplishments, the long and arduous work, the investments you would have made with your talents.”
LenkaBula acknowledged that the journey towards graduation had not been easy for many students, particularly those studying through an open-distance learning environment while balancing work, family responsibilities and other challenges.
She joked with graduates about the realities of university life, including repeating difficult modules and missing important assignment deadlines.
“Some of you might have done one module five times. They’re laughing because they know it’s true,” she said.
She also acknowledged graduates who had faced challenges such as load shedding and limited access to study facilities while completing their qualifications.
“I know that sometimes you have studied with a candle because there was load shedding, or maybe there was not load shedding because of the challenges of life,” LenkaBula said.
“Sometimes you have had to come to the University of South Africa, to the laboratories, or to the classrooms, and we’re quite appreciative for your tenacity.”
She highlighted the significance of being the first person in a family to obtain a university qualification.
She asked graduates to indicate how many were the first in their families to graduate, drawing attention to the number of hands raised in the hall.
“We’re proud of you who are the first generations in your families to graduate,” she said.
“You are truly living that mantra that the first president of this country, His Excellency President Mandela, would have stated about education as an important resource that changes lives.”
LenkaBula said education should be viewed as a lever for social and economic transformation, particularly for students from families and communities where higher education had previously been inaccessible.
She urged graduates not to limit themselves to seeking employment, but to use their education to create opportunities for others.
“As you graduate today, it’s not your last graduation, and instead, that you’re going to invite others to see the purpose of education is that which changes lives for the better,” she said.
“And that you who are graduating will not just look for jobs, but you will create jobs.”
According to LenkaBula, the university’s open-distance learning model had enabled it to reach students across South Africa and beyond, providing opportunities to people who may otherwise have struggled to access conventional university education.
She also reminded graduates of Unisa’s history and its contribution to producing leaders in South Africa and internationally.
Among the institution’s notable alumni is former president Nelson Mandela, whose association with Unisa was highlighted during the graduation address.
LenkaBula told graduates that they were joining a global community of more than one million Unisa alumni who were contributing to their communities, the country and the continent.
“Our undergraduate success rate has risen to 77%, and our tenure cohort has fallen, meaning we’re graduating more students, and more students are doing well.”
She also said Unisa now had 320 academics who had received National Research Foundation recognition, describing the achievement as an important development for the university’s research ambitions.
The International Criminal Court on Monday unsealed arrest warrants for two Afghan education ministers accused of committing crimes against humanity through the Taliban government’s restrictions on women and girls.
The warrants, for Habibullah Agha, minister of education, and Neda Mohammad Nadeem, minister of higher education, were issued on September 9, 2025 and remained under seal until Monday.
The two officials are accused of gender-based persecution linked to policies that have barred girls aged over 12 from school and excluded women from higher education following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
The ICC warrants were likely to increase international pressure on the Taliban government.
AFP has approached Taliban authorities for comment.
The two warrants against the ministers were issued after the ICC, in July 2025, authorised warrants for Afghanistan’s Supreme Taliban Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Supreme Court President Abdul Hakim Haqqani, parts of which have been made public.
Both Agha and Nadeem have played key roles in implementing the supreme leader’s vision for Afghanistan.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe” the suspects committed “the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds”, the court said.
It said the persecution was directed against women and girls, and the deprivation of their fundamental rights was committed “in connection with” other alleged crimes under the Taliban government’s policies, including “imprisonment, torture, rape and enforced disappearance”.
The court said the alleged crimes were committed in Afghanistan from the Taliban’s takeover until at least January 20, 2025.
– ‘Worsening’ oppression –
The ICC’s disclosure of the warrants came the same day the UN Human Rights Council urged the Taliban authorities to repeal their “worsening” and “systematic oppression of all women and girls in Afghanistan”.
The council’s 47 member countries unanimously criticised that discrimination “and the harms that it has entrenched, which are unbearable, unjustifiable and should shock the conscience of humanity”.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber II said it decided to unseal all four warrants, with redactions, after concluding that doing so would not unduly affect ongoing investigations and could “prevent the commission of further crimes by the suspects”.
Publication could also “promote cooperation by the international community… in relation to the situation in Afghanistan”, it said.
Afghans across the country have told AFP journalists of severe mental health problems tied to the education ban, with teenage girls and women mostly staying at home.
Afghan universities are now men-only zones, where smartphones are banned and students can be chastised if their beards are not long enough.
Some women and girls have tried to continue their education by studying online, but their efforts are hampered by internet and electricity problems across Afghanistan.
Women are increasingly absent from public life and need to abide by a strict dress code when they leave home, covering everything but their eyes.
They are banned from most jobs and a host of public places, including parks, and must have a close male relative escort them on long journeys.
The higher education ban has led to staff shortages in hospitals, multiple healthcare workers have told AFP, as women are no longer allowed to qualify as doctors.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has paid tribute to South Africa’s 485 000 educators, saying their daily work in classrooms is helping to build the country’s future as World Teachers’ Day shines a spotlight on the support and working conditions teachers need to perform their duties.
“Today is National Teachers’ Day, and I want to say to almost half a million of you that we see you, we see your hard work, we see just how much you dedicate yourselves to building South Africa,” Gwarube said.
“I want you to remember that every single time you walk into a classroom, that you are building the future of this country brick by brick, learner by learner. We want to say sianibulela, sianishonipa, and we want to say we appreciate the work that you do.”
World Teachers’ Day is observed annually on 5 October to recognise the contribution of teachers and draw attention to the professional conditions that shape their work.
This year’s observance is particularly significant as it marks 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organisation (ILO)/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
UNESCO’s 2026 theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures”, calls for more than recognition of educators. It places the spotlight on whether education systems are providing teachers with the professional, material and institutional support they need.
The Department of Basic Education said it was continuing to strengthen the foundations of the education system, including early childhood development and Foundation Phase teaching.
Over the past year, the department registered more than 13 300 early childhood development centres against a target of 10 000.
The DBE said a R496 million fund had been established to create ECD spaces in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.
In addition, 10 000 Foundation Phase teachers are receiving targeted training in literacy and numeracy this year as the department works to strengthen the National Reading Literacy Strategy.
The interventions come as the education sector continues to grapple with challenges including learner performance, teacher workload, infrastructure, safety and the changing demands placed on educators.
Dean of Education at Rosebank International, Dr Shani Steyn, said World Teachers’ Day should be an opportunity to move beyond celebrating teachers and reflect on what it means to genuinely support the profession.
“Teaching is about far more than delivering curriculum. At its heart, it is relational work. Teachers see potential, build confidence, encourage curiosity and help young people make sense of themselves and the increasingly complex world around them,” Steyn said.
“Standing with teachers therefore means more than thanking them for what they do. It means recognising them as professionals, investing in their development, listening to their voices and ensuring that they are equipped and supported to respond to the changing needs of the learners and communities they serve.”
Steyn said teachers were working in increasingly complex classrooms while having to navigate technological developments, artificial intelligence, changing assessment approaches, learner wellbeing, neurodiversity and inclusive education.
She said teacher preparation therefore needed to extend beyond subject knowledge.
“This means that preparing teachers for the future cannot simply be about giving them subject knowledge and sending them into classrooms,” Steyn said.
“They need strong pedagogical knowledge, the ability to make sound professional judgements and the confidence to adapt their teaching so that different learners have meaningful opportunities to participate and succeed.”
The 60th anniversary of the international recommendation on the status of teachers also provides an opportunity to consider how educators are prepared before entering the profession and how they are supported throughout their careers.
“We need teachers who are knowledgeable, certainly, but also reflective, adaptable and willing to keep learning throughout their careers. The classroom will continue to change,” Steyn said.
“Good teacher education therefore cannot prepare graduates for one version of the classroom; it must prepare them to continue learning and responding as education itself evolves.”
Steyn said pathways into teaching should remain accessible while maintaining professional standards.
Rosebank International offers a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education as an entry-level route for people interested in early childhood education, while students can progress through Bachelor of Education qualifications in Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase Teaching.
“The journey to becoming a teacher does not always begin and end with a single qualification,” Steyn said.
“For some aspiring educators, a higher certificate may be that important first step. What matters is that we create meaningful pathways into the profession while maintaining the quality and professional standards that teaching demands.”
She said investing in teachers ultimately meant investing in learners.
“As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, we should celebrate both those already serving in our classrooms and those preparing to join them. Standing with teachers means investing in the profession across the entire journey, from the aspiring student teacher to the experienced educator who continues to learn, adapt and lead,” Steyn said.
“Because when we invest in teachers, we are ultimately investing in every learner whose future they will help to shape.”
Meanwhile, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) used World Teachers’ Day to call for stronger protection of teachers’ rights, improved working conditions and greater investment in public education.
SADTU said the theme was a reminder that the future of society was inseparable from the dignity, rights and working conditions of teachers.
The union paid tribute not only to school teachers but also to lecturers in higher education, education support personnel and early childhood development practitioners.
According to SADTU, the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation set out principles relating to teachers’ rights and responsibilities, initial teacher preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.
It also promoted teachers’ participation in educational decision-making through consultation and negotiation with education authorities.
SADTU said the principles remained relevant as teachers faced a range of pressures in the education system.
The union highlighted the gender imbalance in the profession, saying that while the majority of teachers were women, men continued to dominate leadership positions.
It said women were also heavily represented in early childhood education, which plays a critical role in children’s academic, emotional and physical development, but that many ECD practitioners continued to struggle for recognition as teachers.
SADTU said the formalisation of the ECD sector by the Department of Basic Education was partly a result of its advocacy.
The union called for women teachers to be protected from harassment and discrimination and afforded equal opportunities to advance into leadership positions.
It also raised concerns about violence against teachers and the safety of educators in schools.
“No teacher should have to enter a classroom fearing for their lives,” SADTU said, calling for stronger measures to protect teachers and address the social conditions contributing to violence in schools.
The union said schools needed to be places of teaching, learning, safety and dignity rather than spaces where educators faced violence, intimidation or abuse.
SADTU further warned that teachers were bearing the impact of austerity measures and resource constraints, arguing that cuts to education budgets could affect the ability of educators to provide quality teaching.
Overcrowded classrooms, inadequate resources, insufficient support and growing administrative workloads were among the challenges identified by the union.
SADTU cited a University of Stellenbosch study which found that 50% of South African teachers were considering leaving the profession within a decade, with administrative burdens identified as a major source of stress.
The union said teachers could not be expected to continually do more with fewer resources while carrying the responsibility of preparing future generations.
It called for sustained investment in public education, saying education should be treated as a fundamental social investment rather than expenditure to be reduced when budgets come under pressure.
“Honouring teachers means ensuring decent working conditions, fair remuneration, safe schools, adequate resources, professional development, and meaningful participation in decisions that affect the education system and the teaching profession,” SADTU said.
The union also called for the restoration of the social status and dignity of teaching, saying teachers should be recognised as professionals whose expertise and commitment were essential to building a just, equal and prosperous society.
As the country marks World Teachers’ Day, SADTU also congratulated the educators recognised at the Department of Basic Education’s National Teaching Awards, saying the awards celebrate excellence, dedication and innovation in teaching and school leadership.
The union said it wanted to see more initiatives recognising teachers not only from government but also from the private sector.
The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) has provided R13.9 million to clear historical debt owed by 253 Central University of Technology (CUT) graduates, allowing them to access qualifications previously withheld because of outstanding fees.
CUT said in a statement that student debt remained a significant challenge across the post-school education sector, with outstanding balances often preventing graduates from accessing academic records and certificates.
“This, in turn, limits their ability to pursue employment opportunities and establish financial stability,” the university said.
“Consequently, outstanding debt can create a cycle in which graduates are denied access to the very opportunities that could enable them to secure employment, improve their financial circumstances, and ultimately settle their outstanding obligations.”
The funding covered graduates in Information Technology, Accounting, Internal Auditing and the Advanced Diploma in Applied Management.
Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Samson Mashele said the intervention represented an investment not only in the affected graduates, but also in their families and their future contribution to the economy.
“Behind every outstanding balance is a student who has worked hard to complete their studies.
“There is a family that has made sacrifices. There is a young professional ready to enter the world of work,” Mashele said.
“The funding will provide our graduates with an opportunity to move forward, enter the workforce and begin contributing to their families, communities and the broader economy,” he said.
BANKSETA Senior Manager for Human Resources Dr Lefaso Motsoeneng said historical debt funding was intended to remove financial barriers preventing deserving students and graduates from completing their academic journeys.
“Through strategic partnerships, we can tackle these challenges, expand access and help shape a more inclusive future.”
He said BANKSETA remained committed to supporting young people facing financial barriers and helping them transition into professional employment.
CUT said partnerships such as the BANKSETA intervention formed part of its efforts to remove financial obstacles that prevented graduates from using their qualifications to pursue employment and build sustainable careers.
One beneficiary, Skejana Philasande, completed a National Diploma in IT Software Development in 2017 but said outstanding debt had prevented her from accessing her qualification.
Philasande said she had spent years being employed on the strength of her Grade 12 certificate rather than her university qualification.
“It was painful knowing that my qualification was being withheld because of my outstanding debt. The BANKSETA funding has given me renewed hope and the opportunity to pursue a career aligned with my studies,” Philasande said.
“What may seem like financial support is, for me, a chance to build the future I have always worked towards. I am deeply grateful.”
Refiloe Maduna, who completed a National Diploma in IT Software Development in 2026, said being defunded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme had left her unsure how she would settle her outstanding fees.
She said she discovered that BANKSETA had paid the amount while checking her university ITS account.
“The relief and gratitude I felt in that moment are difficult to put into words. BANKSETA paid an amount that I simply did not know how I was going to afford on my own,” Maduna said.
“I am sincerely grateful to BANKSETA and CUT for this life-changing opportunity. I hope this support continues to open doors for many other students like me and graduates who find themselves in need of a helping hand.”
Africa must move beyond speeches and conferences and take concrete steps to transform the teaching profession, Eswatini’s education minister has warned.
Speaking during the official opening of the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED) 2026 in Eswatini on Monday, Education and Training Minister Owen “Handsome” Nxumalo said governments need to create an environment in which teachers were valued, protected, professionalised and empowered.
Africa was confronted by teacher shortages, uneven deployment and rapidly changing demands brought by technology and artificial intelligence.
“This conference must not be remembered merely for eloquent speeches and discussions. It must be remembered for concrete and actionable outcomes that will transform our education systems,” Nxumalo said.
The three-day conference, hosted by the African Union and the Kingdom of Eswatini, brought together more than 400 delegates from across Africa. They included governments, education policymakers, teachers and their organisations, teacher-training institutions, universities, researchers, development partners, civil society and the private sector.
Held under the theme “Transforming the teaching profession for Africa’s future: innovation, recognition, mobility, artificial intelligence, inclusion and professional excellence”, the conference coincided with World Teachers’ Day.
It gave African governments and education stakeholders an opportunity to recognise the contribution of teachers while considering how the profession should be strengthened for the future.
Nxumalo said the timing was significant as Africa faced major challenges affecting its education systems.
“Today, 5 October, can rightly be called doubly significant, as we officially bear witness to the opening ceremony of PACTED 2026, while simultaneously joining the global community in commemorating World Teachers’ Day,” he said.
Teachers were responsible for shaping the social fabric of African societies and remained fundamental to the continent’s development ambitions, he said.
Teacher shortages, uneven deployment, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, climate change and changing labour markets were creating new demands on education systems.
A central issue at the conference is investment in the teaching profession, with Nxumalo stressing the importance of sustainable domestic financing, professional development and better support for educators.
He also highlighted teacher mental health, motivation and working conditions as critical issues for retaining skilled professionals in classrooms.
The conference will consider the Continental Teacher Qualification Framework, which is intended to strengthen professional standards, licensing systems and career pathways. It also promotes the mutual recognition of teacher qualifications across African countries.
Nxumalo said greater recognition of qualifications could support teacher mobility and contribute to continental integration.
On artificial intelligence and digital technology, delegates will discuss how tools can support teachers in rural and underserved communities without replacing them.
Education International for Africa Director Dennis Sinyolo also called for greater investment in teachers, education infrastructure and teaching and learning resources.
Sinyolo said 233 million children remained out of school globally, including 110 million in Africa.
He argued that progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education was still insufficient.
He said some teachers were not paid regularly, with some reportedly going as long as two years without salaries.
“Let’s pay our teachers decent salaries, so that they can focus on what they know how to do best, to teach, not to worry about where the next meal will come from,” Sinyolo said.
He said digital technology could transform education if implemented through a human-centred approach, but warned that it should never replace teachers.
“The teacher-student relationship, that interaction is sacrosanct and must be protected,” he said.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union also used World Teachers’ Day to call for greater investment in public education, citing overcrowded classrooms, inadequate resources, administrative pressures and concerns about violence against teachers.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube paid tribute to South Africa’s teachers, saying almost half a million educators were helping to build the country’s future.
“Every single time you walk into a classroom, you are building the future of this country brick by brick, learner by learner. We appreciate the work that you do,” Gwarube said.
PACTED 2026 will continue until Wednesday, when the African Union Continental Teachers’ Awards will recognise outstanding teachers for professional excellence, innovation, leadership and community impact.
The conference is also expected to produce an Eswatini Declaration on Transforming the Teaching Profession in Africa, alongside action frameworks and roadmaps covering teacher mobility, qualification recognition, digital education and AI.
Young people from political parties, youth-led organisations and unemployed graduates have been urged to help communities understand government policies and development plans that directly affect their lives.
The call was made by African Luminary, a non-profit dedicated to “shaping young minds for a stronger South Africa”, following a special youth meeting held at the Faranani Multipurpose Centre in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, this month.
The meeting was chaired by Sthembiso Sibiya, a Social Curriculum Developer, Educator, LLB Student and Chairperson of African Luminary NPC.
The organisation said the discussion centred on the question: “What can young people do to contribute to a better South Africa?”
The programme introduced African Luminary’s Social Curriculum and began work towards developing a Youth Programme of Action.
“One of the issues considered was the question of the generational struggle of young South Africans,” the organisation said.
“Inequality and social class emerged as important areas of consideration, although participants did not reach a final collective conclusion that these alone define the generation’s struggle.”
“A key principle of the Social Curriculum discussed during the meeting is that solutions should emerge from an understanding of the problems,” it said.
“The objective is therefore to move beyond discussion towards practical interventions.”
The meeting also identified quality education and social awareness as important foundations for building a more informed, active and independent generation.
African Luminary called on young people to help communities access and understand the National Youth Policy and Integrated Development Plan documents, including by encouraging their availability in libraries, clinics and other accessible public and community spaces.
“Young people should not rely exclusively on government to solve every problem affecting them,” it said.
“They can also become active participants in understanding public policy, identifying community problems, and contributing to solutions.”
It urged young people across Africa to convene similar meetings bringing together people from different political parties and youth-led structures to independently define their generation’s challenges, mission and programme of action.
“The broader objective is to encourage young Africans to move from identifying problems to developing practical solutions for their communities, countries, and continent,” the organisation said.
Romeo Sibeko, representing local youth and the Al-Jama party, said that the session taught him how media can influence thoughts and behaviours, and how youth can stay united in their approach for South Africa.
“I think with the decisions that was taken within the collective, we will empower a lot of youth going forward,” Sibeko said.
Thapelo Ntuli, a youth community member from Tsakane, said the meeting was a step towards youth empowerment and improving living standards, also mentioning its focus on guiding boys to becoming men and men to being responsible.
“We were trying to create a loophole for the youth when it comes to job opportunities, equality, and empowerment,” Ntuli said.
Outstanding Services SETA bursary payments and allowances for students at Ekurhuleni East TVET College are being processed after government intervention over delays that left some students waiting late into the academic year.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim said progress had been made in resolving outstanding bursary benefits for 162 qualifying students following an oversight visit to the college’s Kwa-Thema Campus on Friday.
Services SETA had allocated bursaries worth R15.6 million for 200 students at the college. Of 195 applicants, 162 were submitted as qualifying beneficiaries after screening by the college. The remaining 33 either did not meet the criteria or had outstanding documentation.
Of the 162 students, tuition fees for 145 were processed in September, while a further 17 cases remained in progress.
The college also reported that R1.98 million in outstanding allowances had been paid to 132 students during September. Another 30 students had not yet been processed because of banking or documentation problems, with the college committing to finalise those cases by October 9.
Textbooks have been provided to all Services SETA-funded students, but laptops remain outstanding. The college said procurement had been expedited and laptops were expected to be delivered by mid-October.
The intervention is the latest in a series by Cassim over delayed student funding this year. In August, the Transport Education Training Authority committed to clear outstanding allowances for 104 students after his intervention, while Central University of Technology undertook to pay accommodation allowances to 1,392 students who had been waiting since the beginning of the year. Later that month, NSFAS released R222.7 million for 2,927 Funza Lushaka bursary students following another intervention by the deputy minister.
Cassim said delays in bursary payments were a broader problem across the post-school education system.
“Students should not have to wait this far into the academic year to receive the full bursary benefits for which they qualify,” he said.
The department will also seek a report and turnaround plan on delays in issuing National N-Diploma and NCV Level 4 certificates, another issue raised during the visit.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has called for greater protection of children online, saying the state has a constitutional duty to safeguard learners from digital harm.
Speaking at the 15th National Schools Moot Court Competition at Constitution Hill on Sunday, Kubayi said online safety could not be left to children to manage on their own.
“Section 7(2) places the duty on the State to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights. Online safety is not something we can leave to children to manage alone,” she said.
Kubayi said the issues raised reflected the growing challenge of balancing constitutional rights with the risks children face in digital environments.
Inside Education reported in June that 67% of South African children aged eight to 18 had experienced at least one major cyber risk, including cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful content and technology overuse, according to Child Online Safety Index data.
The moot court competition, launched in 2011, is run by the justice and basic education departments together with the South African Human Rights Commission.
Last year, more than 900 Grade 9 learners entered the competition, with 36 teams progressing to the national rounds before finalists argued at the Constitutional Court.
Kubayi said hundreds of schools and thousands of learners from urban, township and rural communities had taken part in constitutional education programmes this year.
She said government wanted to broaden participation so learners had access to legal literacy programmes regardless of geography or school resources.
The competition also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the adoption of South Africa’s Constitution.
Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have been crowned 2026 Engen Champ of Champs winners after dominant victories in Sunday’s finals.
Playing at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, Tshwane, on Sunday, Chiefs claimed the Under-18 boys’ title with a 3-0 victory over East High Academy of Mpumalanga, while Sundowns Ladies completed their campaign with a 2-0 win over RV United of the Western Cape in the Under-20 girls’ final.
The two Gauteng champions capped impressive campaigns at a tournament bringing together provincial champions from across South Africa under the theme “Where Diski Legends Start”.
Chiefs had entered the final after overcoming Western Cape champions Antalyaspor JPM Cape Town in their semi-final, while East High Academy booked their place in the decider by beating KwaZulu-Natal champions AmaZulu.
The final victory completed an unbeaten tournament for Chiefs, who topped Group A with three wins and a draw before navigating the knockout stage.
The Amakhosi development side had opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Tshepo Academy and followed that with a goalless draw against East High.
They then defeated TenPont Academy 3-1 before edging Pixley Youth 1-0 to finish at the summit of the group.
East High finished second in Group A after victories over Pixley Youth and TenPont Academy and a goalless draw against Chiefs.
Sundowns Ladies were even more driven on their way to the girls’ crown, completing the tournament without conceding a goal.
The Gauteng side swept through Group A with victories over Toti Ladies, Mafikeng Ladies, Royal Wizards and Ixias Ladies before defeating Superstrikers in the semi-finals.
Their group-stage campaign included a 4-0 victory over Toti Ladies and a 5-0 demolition of Mafikeng Ladies, followed by further wins over Royal Wizards and Ixias.
They carried that defensive record into the final, where the 2-0 victory over RV United from the Western Cape, secured the girls’ championship.
RV United had topped Group B and reached the final after defeating Ixias Ladies in the semi-finals.
Chiefs’ Malibongwe Mtshali was named the Player and Striker of the Tournament in the boys’ competition after playing a key role in the Amakhosi’s successful title-winning campaign.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ Lebogang Buthane was named both Player and Top Goalscorer of the Tournament in the U20 girls’ competition after helping her side secure the title.
The boys’ top goalscorer award was shared by Kaizer Chiefs trio Shaun Els, Lebohang Dhlamini and Tsheamo Mosana, alongside Omphile Bokala of TenPont United.
The final day brought together a number of prominent figures from South African football landscape, attending during the competition.
Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe, Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr., Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis and national team captain Refiloe Jane were among those who watched the young players in action.
AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane also attended, alongside former Chippa United coach Kwanele Kopo and Usuthu head of football strategy Sinesipho Mali.
Kaizer Chiefs defender Rushwin Dortley was also spotted supporting his younger brother Emile, who represented the Amakhosi development side.
The tournament also highlighted the pathway between youth football and the professional game through the presence of several Engen alumni.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies players Ronnel Donnelly and Katlego Malebane attended after their recent COSAFA Women’s CAF Champions League Qualifier success, while Bennet Mokoena and Kamogelo Mareletse were present following Amajita’s COSAFA Under-20 Cup triumph.
Keabetswe Morake, another Amajita player, was involved on the field for Chiefs.
The 2026 tournament featured nine boys’ and nine girls’ teams representing provincial champions from across the country.
