By Johnathan Paoli

The food contamination crisis in Gauteng’s spaza shops has mostly affected children, according to premier Panyaza Lesufi.

While announcing the provincial government’s plans to deal with the emergency, he said that 23 people had died and 441 were hospitalised since the beginning of this year.

This was according to a preliminary report from the provincial health department.

The majority of the cases involved children aged between six and 10, with Ekurhuleni reporting the highest number of incidences, followed by the West Rand.

Most deaths were reported in Johannesburg, followed by Ekurhuleni, with seven post-mortem results out of the 19 deaths testing positive for organophosphates, which is a pesticide.

On Sunday, Lesufi met provincial and local government leaders to discuss the crisis and what action needed to be taken.

“We all agreed that addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach involving stricter regulations, better enforcement of existing laws and increased public awareness about the potential dangers associated with purchasing from unregulated spaza shops and informal traders,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.

This follows Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa gazetting the Standard Draft By-Law for Township Economies in the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act.

Lesufi said municipalities would also be expected to establish a system for regular health inspections by local health authorities to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.

He called for community awareness campaigns to educate consumers about food safety, signs of spoilage and how to report unsafe practices.

The premier said that while municipalities had until the end of the month to adopt the regulations, it did not stop law enforcement agencies from responding to cases.

“Even though we are waiting for municipalities to take the resolution that we have adopted, law enforcement agencies are not prohibited to act as of tomorrow, or this afternoon. We are not suspending any action on the basis that we are waiting for the adoption of laws. Those adoptions will strengthen our approach,” he said.

Lesufi said a template was being developed to be utilised by hospitals, schools and community healthcare centres to ensure accurate reporting.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Russel H. Kaschula and Mbali Sunrise Dhlamini

Language has always been used as a political football in South Africa. This can be traced back to the competing English and Dutch colonisers, from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, each group trying to assert linguistic as well as economic and social control.

Later, language was used to divide and rule under apartheid. For instance, the racist regime created “homelands” – areas of self-determination for Black South Africans – that were linguistically bounded; all isiXhosa speakers, for example, were relegated to the same area where they were forced to live and study.

Today the country has 12 official languages. The bill of rights grants everyone the right to access education in the “official language or languages of their choice” and use these languages for cultural and religious purposes. But what’s the reality? Do the official languages, as recognised by the constitution, represent and accommodate all speech communities in South Africa, especially to promote fair and equal access to education? And are those 12 recognised language varieties really free to be used equitably as languages of instruction in the education system? The short answer to these questions is “not yet”.

The government is trying to change this. In May 2024 the Department of Basic Education announced a strategy to progressively introduce mother tongue based bilingual education in schools from grades 4 to 7. Currently schools can teach in pupils’ mother tongues until grade 3, when children are usually 8 or 9 years old, and must then shift entirely to English in grade 4. The new policy will see English used alongside mother tongue languages when learning content subjects, while English is also taught as a subject, from grades 4 to 7.

There is ample research from South Africa and elsewhere in the world that shows learners benefit most from being taught in their mother tongue while simultaneously learning English as a subject and as a tool to enhance mother tongue education.

We are linguists involved in language policy formulation and implementation. We believe that, if planned properly and in close consultation with experts, the new policy is an opportunity to promote equity and redress the past politics of language.

An ongoing approach

The new policy is not unique. Several countries, among them France, Japan and China, have used mother tongue based bilingual education for decades. The same happens in Wales, where Welsh has been prioritised alongside English, and in New Zealand, where learners are empowered to use Maori alongside English, with positive educational results.

Vietnam is a good example of how successful this approach can be. Many learners speak minority languages. They are taught in those languages in their formative years while learning Vietnamese as part of a mother tongue bilingual approach, allowing them to transition to being taught in Vietnamese. This has greatly improved the country’s educational results.

And using mother tongues as a basis for learning alongside another language or varieties already happens informally in many South African classrooms. Content subjects are taught in various languages or varieties, sometimes called dialects, many of which are not the country’s 12 official languages.

More formal approaches to mother tongue based bilingual education exist, too. In 2020, grade 12 learners in the Eastern Cape could choose to write their trial exams (precursors to the school-leaving final exams) for mathematics and science in isiXhosa, the province’s most common mother tongue.

Rolling out the policy

The Department of Basic Education must ensure that it rolls out the new policy in a carefully scaffolded way right up to grade 12, allowing all mother tongue languages to flourish alongside English. It must also supply bilingual and multilingual learning materials. And assessment must be done in the language in which the learner was taught.

Methods of assessment would therefore need to change to accommodate language varieties used in classrooms. It would be disadvantageous for learners to be allowed to use other language varieties during learning and teaching but then to be expected to switch to a monolingual mode during assessments. The key to such an approach would be to use translanguaging throughout the schooling process. This involves letting the teacher use any language or variety that the learner understands best and even to make use of multiple languages if needed.

Ideally, teachers and learners need a metaphorical box of languages in the classroom. When required, they can dip into the “box” and use whatever language varieties are appropriate to aid cognition and learning, including assessment. We emphasise that it would be ideal to also examine those learners in the language varieties in which they are taught, as with the Eastern Cape example.

Language should be used in South African schools to empower learners rather than leave them stranded. The mother tongue based bilingual education policy is a big step towards making this a reality.

Kaschula is Professor of African Language Studies, University of the Western Cape, and Dhlamini is Lecturer on the New Generation of Academics Programme in African Language Studies, University of the Western Cape.

This article was originally published in The Conversation

By Amy Musgrave

President Cyril Ramaphosa will give more details on how the government plans to deal with the contamination of food at spaza shops soon.

A government proclamation that focuses on the regulation and licensing of spaza shops has already being issued, according to the president.

He was speaking at a presidential imbizo in eThekwini.

This follows nearly 20 children dying and over a thousand being hospitalised after eating contaminated food from spaza shops,

On Friday, the Gauteng government already announced that spaza shops in and around schools would be shut down. They would have to reapply to operate and follow strict guidelines in the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act.

Ramaphosa said the matter was being addressed at the highest level.

“Much of this is happening as a result of reckless and negligent actions on the part of unscrupulous spaza shops. They are keeping dangerous chemicals on the premises where they are selling food and the police have already arrested some people in this regard,” he revealed.

The president said he had also instructed Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen to conduct research these on these chemicals, many of which were used as pesticides, and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi had requested agencies to test the chemicals from a health point of view.

He said Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was also “seized with this matter” and the police were working around the clock to get to bottom of the contamination.

“Now all these matters are going to be fully addressed this coming week and I will then be able to make a statement on how we are going to deal with this matter to enable us to ensure that no further children die needlessly in our country

“I have directed that I should get reports as soon as possible so that we can take action to prevent further deaths,” Ramaphosa said

He would issue a directive on the matter soon.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

The CAF Women’s Champions League kicks off in Morocco on Saturday, and it is a historical moment for the University of the Western Cape’s women’s football team, which is the first and only varsity team to compete in the competition.

South Africa is the only country with two representatives at the continental club competition from 9 to 23 November.

UWC will face TP Mazembe on Saturday, while Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies face Masar on Sunday

Earlier this week before the university team jetted off, UWC coach Thinasonke Mbuli said: “I trust you all. When we recruit players, it’s because we know they’ll deliver on our goals. Reaching the Champions League is the highest level of club competition in Africa and you’ve earned this.”

Matete Madiba, who is the deputy vice-chancellor of student development and support, told the team that they had made 2024 a very special year for UWC.

“… you’ve raised the flag high and truly put the university’s name on the map,” she said.

“We know that young girls, their parents and sponsors across the continent recognise UWC and see the incredible opportunities, successes and achievements that await those associated with this brand.”

Two of their midfielders, Bongeka Gamede and Noxolo Cesane, have signed with clubs abroad.

The varsity champions would be wearing a specially designed kit, which Mbuli said would add “to both the excitement and the sense of responsibility”.

“Now, go make yourselves and UWC proud. This is our first, and it might be our last. It won’t be easy, but it’s possible.”

CAF said earlier this week that each of the eight African Women Football Clubs that were participating in the championships would receive at least $150,000 (R2.6 million) in prize money. 

INSIDE EDUCATION 

By Johnathan Paoli

The African National Congress is demanding that spaza shop owners who are responsible for poisoning children across the country be apprehended.

At least 19 children have died and over a thousand have been hospitalised.

On Friday, the Gauteng government was the first to act, announcing that spaza shops in the vicinity of schools would be shut down, and they would have to follow strict regulations before being allowed to operate again.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told a march in Tshwane on Friday that the police needed to act urgently.

“We must arrest the dogs that are killing our children,” he said.

The Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries welcomed the ANC’s pronouncement at a press briefing on Thursday that spaza shops across the county must be re-registered.

Committee chairperson Makhi Feni emphasised the committee’s strong support for the ANC’s commitment to bringing order to the sector, which has long been a source of concern due to health risks and illegal activities.

“We are pleased to see the government take decisive action. Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of South Africa’s children and the vulnerable communities they live in. Reports of poisonous snacks reaching our schoolyards have now reached a crisis point,” Feni said in a statement on Friday.

The contamination of food has been caused by the presence of organophosphate chemicals in some parts of the country. These highly toxic substances are commonly used as pesticides.

The most significant number of poisoning cases have been in Gauteng, with 437 so far.

Feni also called for a ban on the practice of renting homes to illegal immigrants for the purposes of operating spaza shops.

He stressed that this practice has led to unsafe and unregulated food products being sold to vulnerable communities, contributing to the growing health crisis.

“There have been cases of violence and exploitation tied to foreign ownership of spaza shops. This includes the collection of ‘protection fees’ that often result in fatalities. This is unacceptable, and we believe the government must act swiftly to stop these practices and ensure that all spaza shops are fully registered and compliant with South African laws,” Feni said.

ANC Women’s League secretary-general Nokuthula Nqaba said the league was concerned about the disproportionate impact on women street vendors.

She acknowledged that many of these vendors, who were often mothers, sisters and grandmothers, have fallen victim to the contamination crisis.

Nqaba called for immediate action to both address the health emergency and support the affected vendors.

“We recognise that these women are not just vendors; they are caregivers and community members. We stand in solidarity with them and call for stronger food safety regulations, as well as training programs to help them identify contamination and uphold food safety standards,” Nqaba said on Friday.

Both Feni and Nqaba have called for an inter-agency approach, where health, education and law enforcement work together to prevent future incidents.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba 

The Gauteng education department has instructed all schools to suspend the sale of food within and around school premises until further notice.

This follows the death of at least eight learners and hundreds of others being admitted to hospital in the province due to suspected food poisoning after buying snacks from vendors.

“The department is deeply concerned by how these incidents have led to both loss of life and illness among learners,” department spokesperson Steve Mabona said on Friday.

“In response, we are implementing immediate measures to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our learners.,

Mabona said schools and school governing bodies (SGBs) have been instructed to closely monitor and regulate vendors, tuckshops and other outlets that sell food to learners.

He said in a statement that only food of “nutritional value” could be sold within or near school premises, and expired or repackaged food items could not be sold.

Mabona emphasised that any individual or business selling food to learners must comply with Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, which governed the safety and acceptability of food.

“All food vendors and traders must obtain a certificate of acceptability by contacting their local health department’s environmental health division before selling any food to learners,” he said.

He added that food stalls would have to be inspected and approved before they could operate.

“SGBs are responsible for ensuring vendors’ compliance with these regulations, which include verification that all food items are properly barcoded and sourced from reputable suppliers,” he said.

The department has instructed all schools to rigorously enforce these guidelines.

“Instances of non-compliance must be reported immediately to both the district office and the department of health.”

Education MEC Matome Chiloane has advised schools and SGBs to issue a circular to parents, encouraging them to prepare meals at home instead of providing lunch money.

This was until the relevant authorities issued updated guidelines for food vendors.

“… additionally, schools are encouraged to engage community organisations, education stakeholders, and small business associations to foster collaborative efforts aimed at preventing further incidents of foodborne illness,” said Chiloane.

By Simon Nare

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is rubbing her hands with glee as South Africa counts down to officially taking over the presidency of the G20 summit.

It will automatically allow her to simultaneously take over the G20 education working group.

Gwarube has described this as historic, and has vowed to place the country at the centre of global education in the coming year.

South Africa is set to take over of the presidency of the intergovernmental forum of countries from 1 December.

The minister, who was updating reporters in Cape Town on the matric exams, could not hide her excitement on the prospect of hosting the group on education.

She said South Africa would focus on educational professionals for solidarity, equality and sustainable development.

“Each of these areas is critical not only for South Africa, but for developing nations around the world, as we all prepare our learners for the challenges and opportunities of an AI-powered future.

“Our presidency will emphasise the importance of preparing our young people with the skills needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including artificial intelligence, large language models, robotics and other emerging technologies.

“In an era defined by rapid technological change, it is essential that education systems adapt and evolve to equip learners with relevant, future-ready skills,” she enthused.

The minister said through the G20 platform the country aimed to foster greater international cooperation, allowing the country to share best practices, resources and innovations that supported that goal.

She added that the innovation reflected the countries commitment to advance education in a way that supported economic growth, social equity and a future-ready workforce.

These priorities, she said, included quality foundational learning, mutual recognition of qualifications across borders and the development of educational professionals equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

Among the key goals of the presidency would be to advocate for an inclusive and equitable approach to education that reflected the diverse needs of all learners, said Gwarube.

To be prioritised would be the voices and perspectives of developing nations, ensuring that the G20 Education Agenda aligned with the aspirations of learners worldwide.

She believes that by addressing the challenges faced by resource-constrained regions, the world could create an educational framework that left no learner behind.

“We believe that every young person deserves the chance to succeed in a world that increasingly relies on digital and technological proficiency. As a country, we are committed to advancing education that is not only accessible but transformative – education that empowers individuals, supports communities and drives sustainable development,” the minister said.

“By taking on this role, we are not only supporting South African learners but contributing to a global movement that prioritises the growth, safety, and wellbeing of all children,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Gauteng government has issued an urgent call to parents, guardians and community members to be vigilant about the food their children consume, particularly from local spaza shops and vendors near schools.

This follows a wave of food-borne illnesses that have led to several fatalities and hospitalisations across the province.

At a special executive council meeting on Wednesday, members discussed the alarming rise in cases of food poisoning, particularly among children, taking swift action to address the situation and warning parents to closely monitor what their children ate, especially items purchased from informal outlets.

This call to action comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of two children in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni. They are believed to have consumed snacks from a spaza shop that may have been contaminated.

Acting premier Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, accompanied by finance and economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile, visited the grieving families in Katlehong earlier this week, expressing their condolences and reaffirming the government’s commitment to tackling the crisis.

“Parents must encourage their children not to buy these snacks. They are not only unhealthy but can be harmful to their health,” Diale-Tlabela said.

She appealed to homeowners and property owners who leased out spaces to spaza shops to take responsibility for ensuring that only safe, hygienic products were sold on their premises.

Maile condemned the ongoing threats posed by unsafe food products and the lack of regulation in informal markets.

“We are committed to ensuring that no child in this province is harmed by unsafe food. We will not stop fighting to bring order to the spaza shop industry,” he said.

In addition, the provincial education committee has called on the education department to enhance strict food safety measures across schools in the province.

Committee chair Moipone Mhlongo insisted that the sale of food in schools should be temporarily suspended until allegations were confirmed.

“We call on the Department of Education to implement a registration process for all food vendors in schools to ensure strict compliance with food safety regulations,” Mhlongo said.

The provincial government is intensifying efforts to promote food safety and hygiene practices among local vendors and consumers, and reaching out to spaza shops and informal vendors to ensure they comply with the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, and food labelling regulations.

The government is also urging communities to educate children about food safety and the risks of consuming unregulated products.

“We must all take proactive steps to ensure that the food consumed by our children is safe,” Diale-Tlabela said.

The government urged the public to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibited symptoms of food poisoning, including vomiting, fever, chest pains and body aches.

The acting premier said that government officials were working to ensure compliance with food safety standards and emphasised the importance of proper food storage, clean cooking environments and maintaining good hygiene practices.

Residents were encouraged to report any illegal activities related to the sale, trade, or use of dangerous chemicals to the nearest police station.

“The safety of our children is paramount. We will continue to engage with communities to ensure that every person involved in food production and distribution understands their responsibility and complies with the law,” said Diale-Tlabela.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Simon Nare

Aside from a few glitches, some of them beyond human control, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced well-managed National Senior Certificate exams that entered their 12th day on Wednesday.

While updating the nation on the progress of the exams, Gwarube said the halfway mark had now been passed, and system has been showing strength and resilience in ensuring the integrity of the exams.

So far, she announced that:

104 of the 181 question papers have been written, which represented 58% of exams

Five schools in the Jan Kemdorp area were affected by a taxi strike, but all candidates from the schools were able to write their exams.

There was protest action in Limpopo and with the help of SAPS matric candidates were escorted to the school and were able to write.

KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga faced disruptions caused by inclement weather. The department activated contingency plans and learners were able to write and complete their papers.

There were power outages in some areas and back-up generators were relied on for learners to complete their exam papers.

A learner could not finish their paper as they were arrested inside the exam venue as a suspect in an armed robbery case.

Cellphones and crib notes were found and confiscated from a very small number of learners and they are being investigated.

Two imposter candidates were detected and arrested for attempting to take an exam.

Gwarube also addressed the rape for matric learners in Mqhekezweni in the Eastern Cape. The matriculants had had sought accommodation in a house next to the writing centre.

She said they were receiving counselling so that they could finish writing the exams.

“The department has prioritised psychosocial support for the affected learners, ensuring that they have access to counselling and trauma care services. Our priority is to support them in their recovery; giving them the space and assistance they need to heal,” she said.

Overall, the minister was delighted that the system was holding up, and that the writing was progressing well.

She said the department had taken comprehensive measures to safeguard the integrity of the exams to ensure that every learner received a fair, consistent and supportive experience.

The department was focused on maintaining the exams integrity while responding proactively to any operational challenges, including weather disruptions.

“We are steadfast in our support of learners affected by tragic incidents, and will continue to provide them with the psychosocial support they need.

“Furthermore, we are addressing food safety with the utmost urgency and are implementing regulations to ban hazardous pesticides from school premises to protect our children,” she added.

She said the exam operation system had been designed to pre-empt and resolve challenges quickly and effectively. This ranged from the distribution of exam papers to the management of security and supervision.

“We are leveraging technology to maintain real-time oversight, which enables us to detect any irregularities and address them before they can substantially impact the examination process,” she said.

“We recognise that the final leg of exams is crucial, and we are committed to providing every learner with the opportunity to complete their exams without unnecessary obstacles.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

Deputy Minister Higher Education and Training, Mimmy Gondwe hosted a Skills and Jobs Summit at the University of Johannesburg earlier on Wednesday to find solutions tackling South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.

“This is a social and political time bomb”, Gondwe said in her address, adding that the economy was neither inclusive or created jobs, which resulted in soaring levels of poverty and the high cost of living.

“The good thing is that we have it in our hands to defuse this ticking time bomb. For me, that is why we are here today. To collectively find ways of defusing this ticking time bomb,” she said.

One of the ways of doing this, she said, was through education and skills development.

A 2019 report by the National Skills Authority indicated that despite efforts to improve the impact of SETAs, there were still significant gaps in skills development, with many learners who had completed training programmes struggling to find employment.

The deputy minister said youth unemployment currently stood at around 45%, meaning that nearly half of the young people in the country could work and wanted to do so, but could not find work.

“This summit must further answer the question of what are we going to do, as a collective, to ensure that we meet the priorities of the current seventh administration, which are to drive inclusive growth and job creation, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living, and to build a capable and ethical developmental state,” she said.

“Everything we do as the department and as a key role player in the sector must touch on all these priorities. I am possibly restating the obvious when I say: we are all in this together. The success of this summit will be everyone’s success,” she added.  

Hosted by the university’s Johannesburg Business School, Gondwe told the meeting that youth unemployment was a significant problem in South Africa, and she raised concerns about the skills mismatch, with graduates from training programmes struggling to find employment.  

She said the Skills and Jobs Summit was part of a vision to bring the higher education sector and business into one room to engage on the very critical issue of youth unemployment and skills development.

“We are gathered here this morning in the understanding that all of us, whether as business or members of the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector, we have the common responsibility of being the villagers helping to raise the young of our village.

“Each of us comes to the table with different skill sets, resources and influence. What we must not undermine is that while we may not bring the same amount of whatever resource is at our disposal, what we bring to the table is worthy and necessary,” the Deputy Minister said.

Currently, the overall unemployment rate in South Africa is high, reaching 33.5% in the second quarter of 2024.  

The Deputy Minister noted that poverty and low education levels contributed to the high unemployment rates, while women and people with disabilities faced even higher unemployment rates, with the latter approaching 100% in rural areas.  

Gondwe warned that there was an urgent need to address these issues to prevent social unrest and create a more inclusive and prosperous society.  

She challenged delegates to ensure that at the end of the summit, they pledge on how each of them, given their different areas of activity, would help ensure that opportunities for identified skills that are needed and demanded by this economy.

One of the attendees, Jacques Basson, committed to work with the department to develop a call centre with the potential to create 1000 white-collar jobs within a year. 

“Basson has further placed before us ideas on how the agricultural sector can help train young people in the use of biometric technology and another how we can turn farm workers into farmers owning their farms.

These are the kinds of pledges and commitments that I am asking for from the business community,” Gondwe said.

For her, success would resemble access to the economy either as an employer or an entrepreneur, therefore, the higher education sector must create a skilled workforce and a cohort of young people who were able to either find work or create work for themselves and others.

“It is no longer good enough for the PSET sector to measure itself by the number of enrolments or the number of certificates, diplomas and degrees awarded. The sector is now compelled to measure itself on whether the young people who emerge from it, can be absorbed into the economy either as employees or entrepreneurs,” she reiterated.

This would mean that the sector would have contributed to pushing back against the high levels of unemployment and poverty, especially amongst the youth.

“We need both short-term and long-term interventions. We must identify what it is that we can do today as we prepare for what can be done in the long term to ensure that the country’s economy thrives and grows.”

Challenging delegates to move on from old ways, she said: “We are here to invest in the future of our youth, which is investing in the future of our country. We cannot do this without being fully intentional and deliberate.”

INSIDE EDUCATION