By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) received 51,474 funding applications in the first four days of its 2027 application cycle.

It said on Tuesday that its latest application dashboard recorded a student headcount of 49,413 applicants for the 2027 academic year.

Of the applications received, 43,297 were from first-time entering students and prospective applicants, 6,865 from Further Education and Training applicants and 1,312 from senior applicants seeking funding.

A further 12,625 applicants indicated that they were beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), while 52 applications were received from students living with disabilities.

Women accounted for almost three-quarters of applications, with NSFAS recording 38,121 applications from female applicants, or 74.06%, compared with 13,353 from male applicants, or 25.94%.

Most applications were submitted by people aged between 18 and 29.

“The early application figures demonstrate the continued importance of NSFAS in enabling access to higher education and training for deserving South African students and reflect growing awareness of the opportunities available through government-funded student financial aid,” the scheme said.

The application period closes on 31 October.

“Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible and not wait until the closing stages of the application period. Applicants are also urged to ensure that all required supporting documents are submitted correctly and that consent forms are completed where required to facilitate verification processes,” NSFAS said.

Applications can be submitted through the NSFAS website or its mobile application available on Android and Apple devices.

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Staff Reporter

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has reported an increase in rescue activity along parts of South Africa’s coastline as warmer weather and the start of the school holidays draw more people to beaches and other waterways.

The organisation on Monday urged swimmers, boaters, anglers and families to take additional precautions at beaches, swimming pools, rivers and dams as water activity increases.

“Summer should be a time to enjoy the water safely, but increased activity along the coastline, dams and rivers can also result in more people getting into difficulty. Many water-related emergencies can be prevented by planning ahead, choosing safer places to swim and supervising children closely,” NSRI Head of Communications Andrew Ingram said.

Swim where lifeguards are on duty

He advised people to swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty and to remain between designated swimming flags.

He also warned against drinking alcohol before or during swimming or boating, saying it could impair judgement and physical ability and affect a person’s ability to supervise children.

The NSRI told beachgoers to familiarise themselves with rip currents and warned swimmers caught in one not to attempt to swim directly against it.

Instead, swimmers should float, raise an arm to attract attention and, where possible, swim parallel to the beach until clear of the current before using incoming waves to help them return to shore.

People boating, paddling or fishing from rocks should wear correctly fitted lifejackets, while anglers and others on the shoreline should avoid turning their backs on the sea.

Rescue buoys

The NSRI also urged members of the public who see someone in difficulty not to enter the water without flotation. They should alert a lifeguard or the NSRI and, where possible, throw the person a flotation device such as a Pink Rescue Buoy.

It said parents and caregivers should be particularly vigilant because drowning is often silent, with children in distress sometimes unable to splash, wave or call for assistance.

Young children should remain within arm’s reach when they are in water, including swimming pools, paddling pools and baths, while caregivers should avoid distractions such as mobile phones.

“Water safety starts before you leave home. Check where lifeguards will be on duty, make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency and save the relevant emergency numbers on your phone. Most importantly, please actively supervise children whenever they are near water,” Ingram said.

The NSRI advised the public to save the national emergency number, 112, and its Emergency Operations Centre number, 087 094 9774, on their phones.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

A donation of 500 pairs of school shoes to learners in Mpumalanga is aimed at removing basic barriers to school attendance and participation, the provincial education department said on Monday.

The Mpumalanga Department of Education, in partnership with ABSA Bank, handed over the shoes to learners at Kwena Combined School in Emakhazeni Local Municipality.

The department said the donation formed part of ABSA’s Community Development and Corporate Social Investment initiative, which focuses on supporting learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“When a learner comes to school without proper shoes, especially during winter, their ability to concentrate and participate fully is compromised,” the department said.

“This intervention will ensure that 500 learners can walk to school with dignity and be fully present in the classroom. It directly supports our efforts to improve attendance and retention.”

The department said many learners at Kwena Combined School travel long distances to school each day and that the new shoes would make a significant difference.

The school’s principal, on behalf of the School Governing Body and parents, thanked the department and ABSA, saying partnerships of this nature gave hope to schools and showed learners that their education mattered to the broader community.

ABSA representatives also reiterated the bank’s commitment to education as part of its community development work.

The bank said education remained a key tool in breaking the cycle of poverty and that it would continue working with government to support vulnerable learners across the province.

The department said the initiative was aligned with its Rhandza Xikolo Xa Wena, or Love Your School, campaign, a flagship programme led by the Premier which calls on business, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, alumni and community members to support schools.

The campaign is based on the principle of Babize Bonke, which encourages collective responsibility and volunteerism in addressing challenges faced by schools.

The department said it would continue seeking partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders to address learner needs, including infrastructure, learning materials, support and wellbeing.

“As government, we cannot do it alone. The partnership with ABSA today demonstrates the value of collective action in addressing barriers that may affect learners’ participation in education,” the department said.

“Every contribution towards a learner is an investment in the future of Mpumalanga and South Africa.”

The department thanked ABSA for the donation and called on other private-sector partners to support schools through the Rhandza Xikolo Xa Wena campaign.

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By Charmaine Ndlela 

Women’s representation in traditional leadership structures does not always translate into meaningful decision-making power, according to new research by Committee Coordinator for the Health Portfolio Committee at the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Nomakhwezi Ntshele.

Ntshele said women’s representation in leadership remains a contested issue in KwaZulu-Natal, with questions around whether their presence translates into meaningful participation and authority.

ALSO READ: Foundation Phase catalogue cleared for implementation after months of dispute

Ntshele examined these challenges in her Master of Commerce in Leadership Studies dissertation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

“My interest in this study arose from a concern about the gap between South Africa’s constitutional commitment to gender equality and the lived experiences of women within traditional leadership,” Ntshele told Inside Education.

“Traditional leadership remains an important part of community governance in KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in matters relating to customary governance, succession, community development and engagement with government. I wanted to understand why, despite formal recognition of equality, women continue to experience barriers to meaningful participation and authority.”

Her research focused on whether women’s representation in traditional structures translated into substantive participation, including their ability to influence agendas, contribute to consequential decisions and exercise authority in areas such as land, succession and community governance.

“The distinction between presence and influence was one of the most significant findings of my research,” she said.

ALSO READ: Hlomuka calls for arrests after guard killed in school robbery

“A woman may be formally included within a traditional council or leadership structure, but this does not necessarily mean that she has an equal opportunity to shape decisions or influence outcomes.”

She said women were often more closely associated with welfare and community support responsibilities, while areas such as land administration, succession, resource allocation and strategic governance remained more strongly male-dominated.

“Women may therefore contribute substantially to their communities while having limited influence over the decisions that determine the direction of those communities,” she said.

She said the gap between representation and influence could also be seen in women’s access to information, opportunities to participate in deliberations, informal networks of influence and whether their recommendations were ultimately taken forward.

“This is why my research distinguishes between numerical representation and substantive participation. Meaningful inclusion requires women not only to be present but to have a voice that can shape decisions,” Ntshele said.

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The study identified several interconnected barriers to women’s participation, including patrilineal succession, institutional practices, informal gatekeeping and domestic responsibilities.

Ntshele said patrilineal succession required particular attention because it could determine who was considered legitimately entitled to traditional authority.

“Where succession and authority are strongly associated with male lineage, women can encounter structural barriers before their leadership capabilities are even considered,” she said.

She added that informal gatekeeping could reinforce established patterns of male authority through networks, procedures and expectations.

Domestic responsibilities also placed additional demands on women seeking to participate in leadership.

“For me, the more fundamental issue is therefore the relationship between legitimacy and access to authority,” Ntshele said.

ALSO READ: Teen stabbed to death at new school after being transferred to escape violence

“Addressing this requires both institutional reform and changes in social attitudes.”

But Ntshele stressed that her research does not suggest that Zulu culture should be abandoned in the pursuit of gender equality.

“Rather, it shows that culture is dynamic and that cultural identity and gender equality can develop alongside one another,” she said.

She said traditional leadership could retain its cultural significance while examining practices that may unnecessarily restrict women’s participation.

“This can begin with constructive dialogue within traditional institutions and communities about how leadership is understood and exercised.”

She believes traditional leaders have an important role to play because of their cultural legitimacy and ability to influence how communities interpret and respond to change.

Ntshele also called for institutional procedures to be reviewed to ensure that women have meaningful opportunities to participate in agenda-setting, committees, deliberations and consequential decisions.

Importantly, she said her research did not characterise Zulu culture as inherently or permanently oppressive towards women.

“Historical and contemporary experiences demonstrate that women have exercised different forms of social, political and community authority,” she said.

“The focus should therefore be on identifying practices that can evolve without diminishing cultural identity.”

The research also found that younger and more educated community members were more accepting of women in leadership roles, while progressive traditional leaders and visible examples of effective women leaders were helping to challenge perceptions that authority is inherently male.

Ntshele said cultural continuity did not have to mean preserving every historical practice.

“It can mean preserving what is valuable while allowing institutions to become more inclusive, responsive and representative of the communities they serve,” she said.

She said meaningful change would require more than policies on paper, with institutions and communities needing to create conditions in which women could exercise legitimate and independent authority.

Ntshele also highlighted mentorship, capacity building, community dialogue and the involvement of progressive traditional leaders and male allies as important elements in advancing women’s participation.

“Sustainable change requires more than policy on paper; it requires institutions and communities to create conditions in which women can exercise legitimate and independent authority,” she said.

The research has also shaped her understanding of leadership and the role she hopes to play beyond her academic achievement.

She said she wanted to use the knowledge gained through the research to contribute to conversations about inclusive leadership within traditional governance and the broader public sector.

Completing the Master’s degree while working was one of the most demanding parts of Ntshele’s academic journey.

She said there were periods of professional pressure, academic difficulty, disappointment and painful personal loss.

“The journey was not linear, and there were moments when I had to step back, regroup and find the strength to continue. Reaching graduation last week therefore carries a significance that extends beyond the academic qualification,” she said.

Ntshele credited her supervisor, Professor Bibi Chummun, for her patience, academic rigour, mentorship and belief in her abilities throughout the process.

Chummun congratulated Ntshele on the achievement and praised the relevance of her research.

“I congratulate Nomakhwezi on this significant achievement and commend her for producing research that is academically relevant while remaining closely connected to the realities of communities and leadership in KwaZulu-Natal,” Chummun said.

“I have no doubt that this milestone marks the beginning of an even greater contribution to scholarship and leadership practice.”

Ntshele dedicated the achievement to her mother.

“My mother’s love, sacrifices, prayers and unwavering belief sustained me through some of the most difficult moments of my journey,” she said.

She also paid tribute to the late community leader and politician Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, saying his belief in her potential and the opportunities he created had significantly influenced her professional and academic achievements.

Reflecting on the journey, Ntshele said the qualification had deepened her understanding of leadership as a responsibility grounded in inclusion, accountability and service.

“On a personal level, completing this degree has strengthened my understanding of leadership as responsibility, service and the creation of space for others to participate,” she said.

“I fell, I struggled, I grieved, I started again, and I finished. I am proud of the qualification, but even more grateful for the person I became through the process.”

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By Thapelo Molefe

Basic Education Director-General Mathanzima Mweli has dismissed claims of tension between him and Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, insisting that differences over the contested Foundation Phase textbook catalogue have been wrongly portrayed as a personal battle between the department’s two most senior officials.

Mweli has also rejected reports that he refused to undergo a lifestyle audit, saying he had in fact proposed that he, Gwarube and Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule voluntarily undergo the audits as a demonstration of their commitment to ethical and accountable leadership.

Mweli’s comments came amid the controversy surrounding the Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3, which has since been endorsed for implementation by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), paving the way for provinces to procure learning and teaching materials from it for the 2027 academic year.

The decision followed consideration of the catalogue and reviews into its development by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), which endorsed implementation on Friday.

‘Not a personal decision‘

Mweli told Inside Education, before the catalogue was approved, that the decision to support implementation of the catalogue was not his personal position, but that of the Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM), which brings together senior national and provincial education officials.

He said portraying the dispute as one between himself and Gwarube overlooked the role of provinces, which hold the budgets and are responsible for purchasing textbooks.

“DBE doesn’t buy books. Books are bought by provinces,” he said.

“Who has the money to buy books? Where is the money?” Mweli asked.

Mweli, who chairs HEDCOM, said his role should not be confused with the collective position taken by the committee.

“I’m a member of HEDCOM but I’m not HEDCOM,” he said.

Asked whether the disagreement over the catalogue was therefore between HEDCOM and Gwarube rather than between himself and the minister, Mweli responded: “Correct. Correct. Yes.”

He also rejected suggestions of a personal falling-out with Gwarube.

“There is no shred of evidence of any fight between the two of us,” Mweli said, adding that he and the minister continued to communicate on other education matters.

Mweli said his own opinion on whether the catalogue should proceed was irrelevant because the position had been taken collectively.

“I have no view. My view is irrelevant. Because I don’t buy books,” he said.

“The view that is there is the view of HEDCOM.”

Lifestyle audit clarity

On Monday night, Mweli issued a statement rejecting “widespread media and public comment concerning my position on a lifestyle audit”. saying he had not refused to undergo such.

“That characterisation does not reflect my position. I support lifestyle audits in the public service, and I am willing to undergo one,” he said.

“In fact, I was the person who initially proposed to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Basic Education that the three of us voluntarily undergo lifestyle audits as a demonstration of our commitment to ethical and accountable leadership. We agreed to do so,” Mweli said.

He said he thereafter encouraged other senior managers, including deputy directors-general, to participate.

Mweli said he had also engaged the head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to begin putting arrangements in place for the SIU to conduct the audits before they were publicly presented as an instruction from Gwarube to senior DBE managers.

He said his subsequent concerns were not about whether he should undergo an audit, but about how his audit would be conducted, including the handling of confidential and personal information.

“They concern the manner in which the particular process relating to me is to be conducted, including the treatment of confidential and personal information and the safeguards applicable to the process,” Mweli said.

He said lifestyle audits involved sensitive personal and financial information and should comply with the applicable public-service framework governing confidentiality, fairness, independence, due care and professionalism.

“My raising concerns about that process should not be portrayed as a refusal to account or to submit to legitimate scrutiny,” Mweli said. 

He also rejected suggestions that his position on the audit raised questions about his integrity or responsibility for public funds.

“I reject that implication. My raising concerns about the manner in which the process is to be conducted does not alter my willingness to undergo the audit,” he said.

‘No public debate’

He said he would not publicly debate the details of the audit process because of its confidential nature.

“My focus remains on the responsibilities of my office, the work of the Department of Basic Education, and the interests of South Africa’s learners,” Mweli said.

On 19 September, the DBE announced that the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue had been approved and endorsed and that provinces were empowered to use it immediately.

The department said procurement had already commenced.

According to the DBE, the decision followed a review process involving an Auditor-General of South Africa audit, an independent investigation and legal opinions from the department’s internal legal services and external Senior Counsel.

In a statement, the department said the reviews had confirmed the integrity of the process and found “NO FRAUD, NO FAVOURITISM, and therefore NO BASIS TO CANCEL (sic)”.

Recommendations arising from the reviews would, however, be incorporated into efforts to strengthen governance and administration around learning and teaching support materials while implementation continued.

The decision marks a significant shift from the position announced by Gwarube on 2 September, when she said the suspension would remain in place while the legal implications of findings from an independent investigation were considered.

At the time, the minister said the investigation had identified material areas of non-compliance, governance weaknesses and potential procurement and financial management risks.

She said the existing catalogue would remain available to provinces for the 2027 school year while the new catalogue underwent further legal scrutiny and remediation.

Competitive bidding concerns

Gwarube had previously raised concerns over the way the catalogue process departed from ordinary competitive bidding procedures.

In her May 2026 Budget Vote, she said a National Treasury assessment had been inconclusive but had raised questions over whether the deviation from normal competitive bidding had been properly justified and supported by the required records and approvals.

She subsequently ordered an independent external investigation.

The catalogue also became the subject of parliamentary scrutiny, with the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education resolving to refer the process to the Public Protector following concerns over procurement, the blind screening strategy and conflicting accounts from senior officials.

The catalogue is now listed on the department’s official learning and teaching support materials page as the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3.

It covers materials for Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics, Life Skills and Coding and Robotics.

The DBE says the catalogue is intended to provide updated, curriculum-aligned materials while strengthening foundational literacy and access to newer curriculum areas.

One of the most significant changes concerns reading material.

The catalogue provides for 40 readers per class and a Core Reader for every learner, while reducing the number of listed titles from eight to three.

The department says the reduction is intended to allow more focused teacher development and subject-advisory support around a smaller number of approved resources.

It has also said the approach could create efficiencies through economies of scale and broaden participation in the publishing sector.
The catalogue process has previously faced gaps in some African languages.

In March, the DBE said it had identified 107 gaps across languages and invited publishers to submit material to address them, with significant shortages in IsiNdebele, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

The DBE said it had already engaged provinces on procurement arrangements. “The priority now is delivery,” the department said.

It said the education sector would need to work together to ensure books were purchased and delivered as effectively as possible ahead of the new school year.

The catalogue forms part of a wider push to improve foundational learning.

Gwarube has previously announced that 10,000 Foundation Phase teachers would receive targeted literacy and numeracy training during 2026/27 as part of efforts to improve early-grade reading and mathematics.

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By Thapelo Molefe

The new Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3 has been cleared for implementation, with provinces now authorised to begin procuring learning and teaching materials from the catalogue for the 2027 academic year.

The decision follows the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) meeting on Friday, after the catalogue and the reviews into its development were considered by the basic education sector.

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The development brings an end, at least for now, months of uncertainty over the catalogue after Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube suspended its implementation and ordered further legal scrutiny of the procurement process.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) now says the catalogue can proceed following reviews by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), an independent investigation, the department’s internal legal services and external Senior Counsel.

According to the latest position communicated by the department, the reviews found no fraud or favouritism and provided no basis for cancelling the catalogue.

The department said recommendations arising from the reviews would instead be incorporated into the strengthening of governance and administration around learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), while procurement proceeds.

The catalogue is already listed on the DBE’s official LTSM catalogue page as the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3.

The new catalogue is intended to replace Foundation Phase materials that have been in use for many years.

ALSO READ: Nzimande says unchecked AI could usher in new forms of colonialism

It covers learning and teaching materials for the Foundation Phase, including Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics, Life Skills and Coding and Robotics.

The department says it is designed to provide more up-to-date, curriculum-aligned resources while strengthening early-grade literacy and numeracy.

One of the major changes concerns reading materials.

The new catalogue provides for 40 readers per class and a Core Reader for every learner. It also reduces the number of listed titles from eight to three.

The DBE says the reduction is intended to allow teachers and subject advisers to work more closely around a smaller number of approved resources rather than spreading teacher development and support across a larger number of titles.

The catalogue also introduces provision for newer curriculum areas, including Coding and Robotics.

The department says the new procurement model could also create efficiencies through economies of scale and broaden participation in the publishing sector.

The department had previously identified gaps in the catalogue, particularly in some African languages.

In March, the DBE said it had identified 107 gaps across languages and called on publishers to submit proposals to address them. It said significant gaps existed in languages including IsiNdebele, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

The implementation decision follows a period of intense disagreement over the catalogue.

Gwarube announced on 2 September that she would maintain the suspension of the new catalogue while legal implications arising from an independent investigation were considered.

The minister said the investigation had identified material areas of non-compliance, governance weaknesses and potential procurement and financial management risks.

She said the existing catalogue would remain available to provinces for the 2027 school year while the new catalogue underwent legal scrutiny and remediation.

The minister had previously raised concerns about the way the catalogue process departed from normal competitive bidding procedures.

ALSO READ: Gauteng invests more than R2bn in social infrastructure as five delayed schools completed

The catalogue subsequently became the centre of a wider dispute involving Gwarube, the DBE administration and other stakeholders, with questions raised about the process used to evaluate publishers and allocate titles.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education also resolved to refer the catalogue process to the Public Protector following concerns raised about the procurement process, blind screening strategy and conflicting accounts from senior officials.

The latest position is that the different layers of scrutiny did not establish fraud or favouritism that would justify cancelling the catalogue.

The department says these reviews confirmed the integrity of the process and that there was therefore no basis to cancel the catalogue.

This position differs from the concerns previously raised by the minister.

DBE Director-General Mathanzima Mweli has rejected the framing of the dispute as a personal conflict between himself and Gwarube.

In an interview with Inside Education, Mweli repeatedly stressed that the decision was not his personal decision but that of the Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM), which consists of the heads of the national and nine provincial education departments.

“It’s not my response. It’s HEDCOM that has taken a decision,” Mweli said.

He said focusing on his position as Director-General created the wrong impression because the DBE does not purchase the books.

“DBE doesn’t buy books. Books are bought by provinces,” Mweli said.

He said the money for textbook procurement was located in the provinces and that provincial education departments were responsible for purchasing the materials.

“Who has the money to buy books? Where is the money?” Mweli asked, arguing that reporting the issue as a dispute between two national officials overlooked the role of the provincial education departments.

Mweli said he was a member and chair of HEDCOM but that he should not be portrayed as HEDCOM itself.

“I’m a member of HEDCOM but I’m not HEDCOM,” he said.

According to Mweli, the disagreement should instead be understood as one between HEDCOM and the minister over the catalogue.

He also denied that there was a personal conflict between himself and Gwarube.

“There is no shred of evidence of any fight between the two of us,” Mweli said, adding that he and the minister were communicating about other education matters.

He said his personal view on whether the catalogue should proceed was irrelevant because the decision had been taken at a broader institutional level.

“I have no view. My view is irrelevant. Because I don’t buy books,” Mweli said.

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“The view that is there is the view of HEDCOM.”

The DBE said it had already engaged provinces on the procurement process and that procurement had commenced.

The department said it was confident that the education sector would work together to ensure the books were ordered and delivered before the beginning of the new academic year.

The catalogue dispute had already delayed the procurement process for materials intended for 2027.

The DBE had previously said provinces were being consulted on centralised procurement as one way of using economies of scale. It said previous experience suggested that centralised procurement could result in significant cost reductions.

Provincial departments, rather than the national DBE, remain responsible for procurement.

This means the immediate challenge is now to translate the decision into orders, production and delivery of learning materials to schools.

The catalogue comes at a time when the government is placing greater emphasis on foundational learning.

Gwarube has previously announced that 10,000 Foundation Phase teachers would receive targeted literacy and numeracy training during 2026/27 as part of efforts to strengthen early-grade learning.

The department has also linked its Foundation Phase reforms to efforts to improve reading, mathematics and teacher development.

The department said the immediate priority was now delivery.

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