Staff Reporter

Stronger partnerships with business, civil society and development organisations are needed to ensure menstruation does not prevent girls from attending school or participating fully in education.

This was according to Deputy Minister of Basic Education Dr Reginah Mhaule, who made the remarks at the Menstrual Hygiene Gala Dinner this weekend.

“Menstrual dignity is fundamentally linked to educational access, learner wellbeing and gender equality. By working together, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also creating conditions that enable young women and girls to participate fully in education and realise their potential,” she said.

Mhaule said no girl learner should be denied “her right to education, dignity and opportunity as a result of menstruation”.

The event recognised the role of partners including the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Premier FMCG, Lil-Lets, the Baithudi Mampane Foundation, UNICEF, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, provincial education departments, development partners and civil society organisations in supporting access to menstrual hygiene products and services for learners.

“Achieving menstrual dignity is not a responsibility that government can fulfil alone. The progress we are witnessing today is a direct result of meaningful collaboration between government, business, civil society and development partners who have committed themselves to ensuring that every girl learner can attend school with confidence, dignity and pride,” said Mhaule.

The department said the Sanitary Dignity Programme and related interventions had helped expand access to menstrual hygiene products, support awareness and advocacy initiatives, reduce stigma, and create safer and more supportive learning environments for girls.

Mhaule said the event reflected a national commitment to tackling period poverty and keeping menstrual health within efforts to improve learner wellbeing, educational outcomes and gender equality.

“The future looks bright for this important government-led initiative. The strength of the partnerships that have been forged demonstrates what is possible when the public and private sectors work together in pursuit of a common goal. Together, we are moving closer to a South Africa where menstrual dignity is a lived reality for every girl learner.”

The department said it remained encouraged by the momentum built through these partnerships and was confident that continued collaboration would accelerate progress towards universal access to menstrual health and hygiene support in schools.

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By Thapelo Molefe

The University of Fort Hare has defended its decision to deregister Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane from a master’s degree programme, arguing that he did not meet the admission requirements and that the institution had the authority to remove him from the programme.

The matter was heard in the Eastern Cape High Court in KuGompo City, where judgment was reserved.

Mabuyane is seeking to have his 2021 deregistration from the university’s Master of Public Administration programme declared unlawful.

Arguing on behalf of the university, Advocate Fiona Gordon SC said Mabuyane failed to meet the academic requirements for admission and had not produced evidence that he qualified through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

“He was admitted, but the fact of the matter is he didn’t then meet the requirements and he still doesn’t meet the requirements. He still hasn’t put up proof that he met the requirements,” Gordon told the court.

Gordon argued that the university senate had the power to deregister students enrolled in academic programmes.

“It would be nonsensical for a university to admit a student and not be able to deregister them. The senate had the power to deregister,” she said.

She further told the court that Mabuyane had been invited in March 2021 to provide proof of an RPL application if one existed, but the university never received a response.

Mabuyane’s legal team, however, argued that the university acted outside its powers and failed to follow a fair process before deregistering him.

Advocate Anton Katz SC submitted that the premier was informed of the senate’s decision only after it had already been taken and was not given an opportunity to state his case.

The premier’s lawyers argued that the university’s powers to exclude or deregister students are limited by the Higher Education Act and that the decision should therefore be reviewed and set aside.

Advocate Mfundo Salukazana also argued that the university failed to consider whether Mabuyane qualified for admission through RPL and did not adequately explain the reasons for his deregistration.

“The deregister by the university was unlawful because there was no audi alteram partem,” Salukazana told the court.

The case forms part of a broader dispute over allegations of irregular postgraduate admissions and qualifications at Fort Hare.

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By Jarred H Martin, Jacomien Muller, Jolize Joubert van Appel, Sonja Nicolene Mostert

Student mental health has become one of the defining challenges facing universities worldwide. In South Africa, these concerns are often framed around reports which point to anxiety, burnout and academic pressure. With this comes the call for expanded student counselling and crisis services.

These concerns are important. Previous research has shown that university students in South Africa face mental health challenges shaped by financial strain, inequality, academic pressure and social stressors. Studies conducted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic have also shown how isolation and loss of support affected students’ mental health and wellbeing.

But mental health is not only the absence of distress or illness. It is also the presence of wellbeing: feeling connected to others, being satisfied with one’s life overall, and having the ability to manage everyday challenges and participate meaningfully in one’s community.

Our recent study suggests that this broader view matters. As psychologists and researchers, we wanted to better understand the factors that help university students flourish.

We surveyed 1,366 students at a public, in-contact South African university to examine what influences student mental health and wellbeing. We looked at structural factors, such as socioeconomic status, food security, financial strain and living conditions. We also examined academic pressures and psychosocial factors. These included life satisfaction, loneliness, sexual wellbeing, and health-related social support (help from friends, family and others to maintain a person’s physical and mental health).

The findings suggest that students are more likely to flourish when they experience both material security and psychosocial support, including greater life satisfaction, stronger social support for their health, and lower levels of loneliness.

Coping, but not all thriving

Most students in our study were not languishing, a state characterised by low levels of wellbeing and a sense of disconnection, stagnation, or lack of purpose. But many were also not flourishing, which refers to high levels of emotional, psychological and social wellbeing.

About two-thirds (66%) of participants were classified as having moderate mental health. Just over a quarter (28%) were flourishing, while around 6% were languishing.

This matters because students with moderate mental health may appear to be coping. They may attend class, complete assignments, and continue with their studies. But coping is not the same as thriving.

The distinction is important because flourishing has been associated with stronger psychological functioning, better social relationships, improved academic engagement and greater resilience when facing life’s challenges.

For universities, this means student mental health strategies should consider not only how to address and reduce distress, but also what enables students to flourish.

Two different student profiles

One of the clearest findings from our study was that students tended to fall into two broad profiles.

The first group, which we called “Strained and Stressed”, was characterised by greater financial strain, poorer food security, lower life satisfaction, weaker social support for health, and higher loneliness.

The second group, which we called “Resourced and Supported”, had greater material security, stronger psychosocial resources, more health-related social support and higher life satisfaction. These students also reported better mental health outcomes and were less lonely.

This highlights an important reality for South African universities: student wellbeing is shaped by both material circumstances and psychosocial resources. Financial strain, food insecurity and unstable living conditions matter, but so do social connection, support, life satisfaction and the ability to manage one’s health.

In other words, student mental health is both a material and relational issue.

Why connection matters

Psychosocial factors showed the strongest associations with mental health in our study. Students who reported greater life satisfaction and social support for health reported better mental health. Loneliness was associated with poorer wellbeing.

This aligns with previous research showing that social connection and belonging are central to student wellbeing.

This does not mean universities should stop investing in counselling and psychological services. These services remain essential, particularly for students experiencing significant distress.

But counselling services alone cannot carry the full burden of student wellbeing. Universities also need to create environments in which students can build meaningful relationships and experience a sense of belonging.

This could be through promoting peer mentoring programmes, student societies, residence-based support, orientation programmes that extend beyond the first few weeks of university, and structured opportunities for students to connect across academic and social spaces.

The overlooked role of sexual wellbeing

One finding stood out because it is rarely discussed in South African higher education research: students who reported higher sexual wellbeing also tended to report better mental health.

Sexual wellbeing is not simply the absence of disease, dysfunction or risk. It includes feeling safe, respected, comfortable and able to exercise agency in intimate relationships.

This is important because much of the South African research on student sexuality has understandably focused on sexual violence and risk. These remain urgent issues.

But our findings suggest that universities should also consider the positive dimensions of sexual wellbeing as part of holistic student health. A student’s sense of safety, respect and autonomy in intimate life may be connected to their broader wellbeing.

This does not mean that sexual wellbeing should replace risk-prevention work. Rather, it suggests that student wellness programmes should be broad enough to address both protection from harm and the conditions that allow students to experience dignity, agency and wellbeing.

What universities can do

The findings highlight three priorities.

First, universities must, with the support of government and other relevant agencies, continue addressing the structural barriers that shape student wellbeing. Financial hardship, food insecurity and living conditions remain serious pressures. Support systems such as food programmes, accommodation assistance and academic flexibility are not peripheral to mental health. They are part of the conditions that make wellbeing possible.

Second, universities should invest in and support social networking interventions that create durable social connections among their student communities. Students experiencing greater loneliness are more likely to report poorer mental health. This means that belonging should not be treated as an optional aspect of university life. It is central to the wellbeing of young adults.

Third, universities should adopt a broader view of student wellbeing and implement targeted support interventions which encourage multiple dimensions of wellbeing. Our findings support a “whole-university” approach to health promotion. This integrates student wellbeing across the university ecosystem. Mental health, belonging, academic success, as well as physical and sexual wellbeing, cannot be addressed through disconnected health and support services.

Student mental health is often discussed only in terms of crisis. Our findings suggest that universities should focus equally on the conditions that help students thrive.

For South African universities, this means combining structural support with psychosocial care to create environments where students can flourish – not merely survive, but fully participate in university life and realise their potential.

Jarred H Martin is Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of Pretoria; Jacomien Muller is Lecturer in Psychology, University of Pretoria; Jolize Joubert van Appel is Lecturer in Psychology, University of Pretoria; Sonja Nicolene Mostert is Senior Lecturer, University of Pretoria. This article was first published by The Conversation.

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By Willem Kitshoff

The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence belongs in South African classrooms. It is already there, formally through approved school platforms, and informally through learner usage and teacher experimentation.

The real challenge is moving beyond the hype to provide schools with practical clarity, consistency, and implementation frameworks that let them use these technologies effectively and responsibly.

As Riaan van der Bergh, Deputy CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS), recently observed, the priority is giving teachers and learners the exact frameworks they need to navigate these tools safely. That is not a technological hurdle alone. It is fundamentally a challenge of governance, operational readiness, and system design.

Schools are among the most complex institutions in society. They simultaneously juggle teaching, communication, administration, finance, legal compliance, and pastoral care. In that high-pressure environment, any new technology must reduce complexity, or it risks compounding it.

Two decades of working with schools have taught us one simple truth: efficiently run schools are often the best-performing ones. When communication flows smoothly and administrative burdens lift, educators can do what they are there to do: teach. That lesson is critical as AI enters the fold.

While public conversation fixates on AI’s capabilities, the more important question is integration. AI can support personalised learning, streamline administration, and free educators from routine tasks. But without strict oversight, it introduces serious risks: misinformation, fragmented systems, and data privacy breaches.

The policy gap in our schools is widening. Well-intentioned teachers are uploading learner work, report data, and behavioural notes into public generative AI platforms to save time, inadvertently exposing personally identifiable information to public algorithms and raising immediate flags under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The answer is not to ban innovation. It is to govern it.

Schools need clear guidance on what data can and cannot be shared with AI systems. Governing bodies need policies that remove legal uncertainty. And schools need technology partners who understand the unique legal responsibilities that come with managing learner information.

This is the philosophy behind our AI Assist development at d6. We have taken a deliberate, layered approach. The first layer, embedded in d6 School Communicator, uses AI to answer parent and community queries, drawing exclusively on verified, school-approved content and operating within a POPIA-aligned environment where the school retains full oversight.

The next layer goes deeper. AI Assist is now embedded across the d6 school management platform, giving staff, from administrative and curriculum teams to finance and SGB leadership, direct conversational access to their own institutional data.

Rather than navigating complex reports or waiting for extracted summaries, staff can ask questions in plain language and receive immediate, contextualised answers from within their secure environment. The system meets people where they are, in the language they use, while keeping all data governed, role-restricted, and within the school’s control. That is the difference between AI as a shortcut and AI as a properly integrated institutional tool.

We are also excited about what comes next. The natural progression beyond AI that answers questions is AI that acts. We are actively building agentic AI capabilities within the d6 platform, which will allow schools to move from insight to action, automating routine tasks, triggering workflows, and enabling staff to delegate defined administrative processes to AI agents operating within governed, school-approved boundaries. The goal is not to replace human judgement, but to free up the people who hold it.

There is also a significant equity risk at play. Well-resourced schools can afford to develop independent AI policies and train staff. Millions of learners in under-resourced schools cannot. Without a coordinated national approach, AI adoption will widen the digital divide rather than close it.

South Africa faces a clear choice: let AI adoption happen ad hoc, driven by fragmented experimentation, or build the governance frameworks, training programmes, and trusted systems required to elevate the entire sector. The latter demands urgent collaboration between government, governing bodies, educators, and technology providers.

Technology alone does not improve education. Effective, safe implementation does.

We do not need more debate about whether AI belongs in education. Reality has answered that. What we need now is the structural discipline to ensure it strengthens our schools rather than complicates them. The challenge is no longer one of possibility. It is one of readiness.

Willem Kitshoff is Chief Executive Officer of d6, a leading South African school management and communication technology provider.

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By Thapelo Molefe

Tributes have poured in for the vice-chancellor and principal of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, following her death this week, with Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela describing her passing as a significant loss to South Africa’s higher education sector.

Matsha-Erasmus’s death was announced by the university on Wednesday. While no cause of death has been disclosed, messages of condolence have since flowed from government, universities, and higher education bodies across the country.

In a statement on Thursday, Manamela said he had learned of her death “with deep sadness” and extended condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, students and the entire SMU community.

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“Prof Matsha-Erasmus was a distinguished scholar, an accomplished academic leader, and a dedicated servant of higher education,” Manamela said.

The minister said Matsha-Erasmus had demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence, transformation, social justice and the advancement of health sciences education throughout her career.

“As Vice-Chancellor and Principal of SMU, Prof Matsha-Erasmus worked tirelessly to strengthen the university’s academic mission, advance research and innovation, and deepen the institution’s contribution to society,” he said.

Manamela said her contribution stood as an example of excellence and commitment to the public good at a time when South Africa continues to rely on strong leadership in institutions of higher learning.

SMU described Matsha-Erasmus as a distinguished academic, accomplished leader and passionate advocate for the transformative power of higher education.

The university said she had dedicated herself to advancing the institution’s academic mission, strengthening research and innovation, and positioning SMU as a leading health sciences university committed to excellence, equity, social justice and community impact.

“Professor Matsha-Erasmus leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire students, academics, researchers, professional staff, alumni, and partners for generations to come,” the university said.

Universities South Africa (USAf), which represents the country’s 26 public universities, also paid tribute to Matsha-Erasmus, describing her death as an immense loss to the sector.

ALSO READ: 800 Mangaung learners profiled as ‘potential gang members’

USAf said Matsha-Erasmus joined its board after being appointed vice-chancellor in June 2025 and had recently accepted the role of vice-chairperson of its Teaching and Learning Strategy Group. She also served as a proxy representative on the Higher Health Board.

The organisation said she combined scholarly excellence with strategic leadership and believed in the transformative power of education and research to address the health challenges facing the continent.

SMU said details of the memorial and funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course.

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By Thapelo Molefe

The Department of Higher Education and Training has granted a final extension for the enrolment and completion of selected pre-2009 qualifications, trades, and regulatory unit standards as South Africa moves to complete the transition to a modern occupational qualifications system. 

The directive, signed by Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela and published in the Government Gazette on 17 June, provides targeted extensions ranging from six months to three years for qualifications and programmes deemed critical to national skills development priorities.

ALSO READ: Tributes pour in for Tandi Matsha Erasmus

The move forms part of government’s broader overhaul of the post-school education and training sector aimed at replacing legacy qualifications with occupational qualifications that place greater emphasis on practical workplace experience.

“Government acknowledges the importance of a managed and credible transition that protects learners already enrolled within the system while simultaneously accelerating the implementation of quality occupational qualifications,” the directive states.

The latest extension follows extensive consultations between the Department of Higher Education and Training, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and industry stakeholders.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa: Youth unemployment is SA’s new struggle

Speaking during a media briefing last week, Manamela described the transition as one of the most significant reforms in South Africa’s post-school education and training landscape.

“As government advances the transition towards a modernised occupational qualifications system, our foremost priority is to protect the value of qualifications, uphold public confidence in the skills development system, and ensure that every learner is afforded a fair and meaningful pathway to success and employability,” he said.

To date, 948 occupational qualifications and part-qualifications have been registered on the National Qualifications Framework. Of the 1,475 pre-2009 qualifications that had reached their registration end date, 630 were approved for learner enrolment extensions, while the remainder were deregistered because they had no learner enrolments or had already been replaced by occupational qualifications.

Under the new directive, identified pre-2009 qualifications will receive enrolment and achievement extensions of between six and 24 months. Regulatory unit standards will receive extensions of up to 36 months, while trades that have not yet been registered as occupational qualifications will receive extensions of up to 12 months.

No further enrolment extensions have been granted for NATED programmes, as separate phase-out and teach-out arrangements have already been implemented by the department.

“Students currently enrolled in N4 to N6 programmes should therefore continue with their studies as planned and should not be concerned that their qualifications will lose recognition,” Manamela said during the briefing.

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The directive makes clear that these are the final transitional arrangements before the full implementation of occupational qualifications and skills programmes.

SETAs will remain responsible for developing and implementing replacement occupational qualifications and must submit quarterly reports to the minister through SAQA detailing progress on qualification development, learner enrolments and occupational qualification uptake.

The QCTO will oversee accreditation, curriculum implementation, assessment readiness and quality assurance, while SAQA has been delegated authority to manage the final transition process and any adjustments to enrolment and achievement deadlines.

Government said all qualifications already awarded remain valid and recognised on the National Learners’ Records Database.

“However, these qualifications have favoured the classroom over the workshop. What we are introducing are qualifications that guarantee practical experience and workplace placement,” Manamela said.

The department said the transition is intended to create a qualifications system that is more responsive to labour market demands, supports economic growth and equips South Africans with skills needed in a rapidly changing economy.

It also urged learners, training providers and employers to use the final transition period to prepare for the complete shift from legacy qualifications to occupational qualifications and skills programmes.

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Staff Reporter

Two University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) students have won silver medals at the International University Sports Federation World University Championship Combat Games in Brazil, becoming the first South African team to achieve the feat at the tournament.

Dhruv Heeralal and Sohail Ramruthan, who returned to South Africa on Tuesday, won silver at the FISU Combat Games, which were held from 8 to 13 June and featured karate, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, wrestling and wushu.

The pair formed part of the 12-member South African team that competed at the championships. As South Africa’s only entrants in the team Kata division, the Black Belts/Dans in semi-contact karate delivered an outstanding performance to finish as runners-up in their category.

Heeralal, who is studying Mechanical Engineering, and Ramruthan, who is pursuing a BCom in Accounting, said winning silver required perseverance and sacrifice.

“We are both studying two different degrees on two different campuses, so attaining this medal called on a lot of dedication, hard work, and compromise in terms of our schedules for us to make time to practise,” Heeralal said.

The karatekas qualified for the FISU Games after dominating the University Sport South Africa Tournament in February, where they won gold and earned a place in the national squad.

UKZN Executive Director of the Corporate Relations Division Dr Normah Zondo congratulated the athletes on their performance, saying the university was proud of their achievement and commended them for representing both UKZN and South Africa with excellence on the international stage.

“For Dhruv and Sohail to become the first South African duo to win a silver medal at the FISU Combat Games is an exceptional achievement. It reflects not only their dedication and talent, but also the spirit of excellence that defines UKZN,” she said.

“Sport is an important part of the University’s commitment to developing well-rounded graduates and achievements such as these demonstrate what is possible when talent is supported by an environment that encourages students to pursue excellence in every sphere. As UKZN we are immensely proud of our students for representing both UKZN and South Africa with distinction on the international stage.”

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By Thapelo Molefe

About 800 learners in Mangaung have been profiled as potential gang members as the Free State Department of Education intensifies efforts to curb gangsterism in schools, following the discovery of a bullet in a pupil’s school bag.

The department has warned that gangsterism in schools is becoming a serious threat to learning and teaching, with officials describing the issue as a potential constitutional and human rights concern.

Speaking to SABC, Free State Department of Education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the department had developed a strategy aimed at preventing violence before incidents occur.

“One of the pillars of the strategy is to ensure that we are visible, there’s police visibility, is to link our school with the police station, is to work together with police to ensure that there’s prevention, meaning that before any incident, we prevent it by making sure that police are visible in and around our schools,” Ndaba said.

The department’s intervention comes amid reports of increasing gang activity among learners, with community activists warning that children as young as seven years old are being drawn into gangs.

Community activist Thabo Botsane said several gangs were active in Mangaung communities and that violence often spilled over into and around schools.

“We have Maroma, BTKs, also we have these ones who think they are mature men because they are coming from initiation school, all of those. That is giving us a challenge because we find out sometimes they go and hang outside the school while others are still in the school. So after writing there or after school, the fight starts. And it’s disturbing everything,” he said.

Neighbourhood watch groups have also raised concerns about the role of parents, accusing some of failing to support efforts to address gang-related violence involving their children.

Greater Mangaung Forum chairperson Erican Lubbe said community patrollers frequently deal with incidents involving learners, but cases are often withdrawn shortly afterwards.

“The parents doesn’t come and help us, assist us with this gang violence. We sit with problems when, after three days, the children withdraw their cases against each other. We lock them up. We lock a lot of them up. But the only challenge is that the parents go and fight at the police station. We do our best as patrollers to control the situation,” said Lubbe.

Patroller Lebogang Maketla identified several hotspots where rival groups of learners allegedly gather to fight.

“We’ve got a lot of hotspots where these fights are starting, especially where we are standing. It’s one of the main hotspots. And the other one at Ekailelo and Comtech. There is this main road of Singonzo. It’s where all of Freedom Square and Teflon, they meet to fight,” he said.

The department said it plans to involve the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and stakeholders from initiation schools as part of broader efforts to tackle the problem.

Ndaba said learners returning from initiation schools sometimes contributed to tensions that affected safety at schools.

“I’ve made mention of the initiation school. When they come back, we know that they will be troubled. So that is why we are working together with the stakeholders from that sector of initiation schools to make sure that we curb this. Because, as I indicated, this is also a human rights issue. If there is no safety in our school, learning and teaching will not happen,” he said.

Police have said that they are implementing intelligence-driven gang separation measures and anti-gang education programmes as part of efforts to reduce gang-related violence and improve safety in schools.

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Staff Reporter

Professor Thabo Msibi has been appointed chairperson of the seventh Umalusi Council.

Msibi, UKZN’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, was appointed by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube for a four-year term from 8 June 2026 to 7 June 2030.

Umalusi oversees the development and management of qualifications within the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-Framework.

Msibi, a professor of Curriculum Studies in UKZN’s School of Education, previously served as a member of the Umalusi Council. He now assumes the council’s highest leadership position.

“I am deeply honoured by my appointment as Chairperson of the Umalusi Council and grateful for the confidence placed in me to serve in this important national role. Umalusi plays a vital role in safeguarding the quality, credibility, and integrity of South Africa’s education system,” Msibi said.

“I look forward to working with Council members, leadership, and stakeholders across the sector to advance its mandate and contribute to the strengthening of quality education. This is both a privilege and a responsibility, and I am committed to serving with dedication, integrity, and purpose.”

His appointment adds to a record of academic and institutional leadership. He previously served as Dean and Head of the School of Education at UKZN, becoming the youngest dean in South Africa at the time of his appointment. He was also the youngest executive member of the South African Comparative and History of Education Society.

A UKZN alumnus, Msibi obtained both his Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Education Honours degrees from the university. He completed a Master of Education degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, and later earned a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge.

Msibi is an NRF P-rated researcher and the first Black South African education scholar to receive the National Research Foundation’s P-rating, often referred to as the President’s Award. The rating recognises exceptional researchers who demonstrate outstanding potential to become future leaders in their fields.

His research has been published in South African and international journals and books. He is the author of Hidden Sexualities of South African Teachers: Black Male Educators and Same-Sex Desire and co-editor of Gender, Sexuality and Violence in South African Educational Spaces.

He also serves as an associate editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality in Education and sits on the editorial boards of several academic journals, including Perspectives in Education, Alternation, Transformation in Higher Education and the International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies.

Msibi also founded a debating league aimed at bridging the divide between township and urban schools and strengthening English language proficiency among township learners. He later established the Community Development Association, a national organisation focused on youth-driven education and leadership development programmes.

UKZN congratulated Msibi on the appointment, with its Executive Director for Corporate Relations, Dr Normah Zondo, saying his appointment was a fitting recognition of his contribution to education and leadership in South Africa.

“Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to educational excellence and social justice. We are immensely proud that he is contributing to shaping the future of quality assurance and standards in South African education at a national level,” Zondo said.

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By Levy Masiteng 

Outgoing Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mimmy Gondwe has bid farewell to the post-school education sector after the DA recalled her and asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint Yusuf Cassim in her place.

In a farewell statement issued after the DA’s announcement on Wednesday, Gondwe thanked colleagues, stakeholders and students across the country for the opportunity to serve, saying she would continue to keep students “in my heart and in my prayers”.

“After the recent announcement of upcoming changes within the Government of National Unity (GNU) and my subsequent recall, I want to sincerely thank everyone for the opportunity to serve in this important role,” she said.

Her departure came after DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis wrote to Ramaphosa proposing changes to the party’s representatives in the GNU.

Gondwe served as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training for nearly two years after she was named to the position in 2024 following the formation of the GNU after the general elections.

Before joining the executive, she served as a DA Member of Parliament and held several shadow ministerial roles, including Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises.

Gondwe highlighted several achievements during her term, including infrastructure support for Community Education and Training colleges and partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, Google, Old Mutual and Takealot, to expand digital skills and employment opportunities for students.

She also pointed to the work of the Deputy Minister’s Help Desk, which she said handled more than 67,000 enquiries with a 91% resolution rate, and her leadership of the national Bogus Colleges Awareness Campaign.

“I wish my successor well and every success in building on the foundation I have laid,” Gondwe said.

She also thanked the DA, Ramaphosa, government officials and private-sector partners for their support and collaboration during her time in office.

“I will continue to keep all students in my heart and in my prayers. It was an absolute honour and a privilege to serve in the sector.”

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