By Thapelo Molefe

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa demanding urgent clarity on long-running investigations into alleged academic fraud at the University of Fort Hare, warning that delays risk undermining public confidence in government.

In a letter on Friday, EFF leader Julius Malema said the party was concerned about the “prolonged delay” in concluding probes by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into allegations involving senior ANC leaders.

The party named Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Buffalo City Mayor Princess Faku, and former minister Noxolo Kiviet among those implicated.

“The continued lack of resolution in these matters creates the perception that politically connected individuals are shielded from accountability,” Malema wrote.

“The EFF expects your urgent attention to this matter and a substantive response that reflects a commitment to transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”

The EFF called on Ramaphosa to provide an update on the status of the SIU investigations, ensure there is no political interference, and outline any interim findings ahead of a targeted completion date of September.

According to the party, the SIU probe includes claims that Mabuyane irregularly registered for a master’s degree without meeting requirements and may not have authored his own research proposal.

Kiviet is alleged to have obtained postgraduate qualifications without first completing an undergraduate degree, while Faku allegedly registered for a law degree without meeting entry requirements and completed modules in an implausible timeframe.

The SIU was authorised to investigate the matter under a 2022 proclamation, with its scope later expanded in 2024 to include broader irregularities at the institution.

Mabuyane has rejected the allegations, describing them as “false and without merit”, and confirmed he has opened a defamation case in response to comments made by Malema.

“For the record, I do not hold a master’s degree from the University of Fort Hare,” Mabuyane said, adding that the matter is before the courts and should not be discussed publicly while it remains sub judice.

He accused Malema of a “malicious fixation” and urged him to focus on his own legal challenges following his recent conviction on firearm-related charges.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape backed Mabuyane, welcoming the defamation case and criticising Malema’s remarks as an orchestrated attack.

“Malema is hell-bent on using vilification and slander to attack Cde Mabuyane, knowing very well that the UFH matter is sub judice and before the courts,” the party said.

The latest political clash follows remarks by Malema outside the East London Magistrate’s Court, where he linked policing priorities to the Fort Hare allegations.

Addressing supporters, Malema claimed police were being misdirected away from serious issues.

“You are not supposed to be here. You are supposed to be in the office of Oscar Mabuyane because he stole a master’s at Fort Hare,” he said.

“We are led by fools. That’s why they don’t know how to plan. We are led by fools. That’s why they steal master’s degrees at Fort Hare.”

Malema also criticised the magistrate in his case, alleging bias, and confirmed his intention to appeal both conviction and sentence.

The EFF said failure to act decisively would signal that “integrity and merit can be bypassed through political proximity”, while the ANC maintains the matter should be left to the courts.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Sihle Mavuso

KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka is facing multiple inquiries after a whistleblower accused him of interfering in a lease process involving a building used by his department.

The inquiries began after the whistleblower sent a letter to the Auditor-General of South Africa, the Office of the Premier in KwaZulu-Natal, the Public Protector and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), among others.

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In the letter, the whistleblower asked the authorities to investigate claims that Hlomuka allegedly arm-twisted departmental staff not to begin the process of notifying the provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure that the lease on offices in central Ladysmith, which house uThukela district operations, was due to expire.

According to the whistleblower, the department is paying R1.7 million a month for the building even though it is allegedly in a bad state and does not have the 30 garages for staff that it was said to have.

“There is reason to believe that the continued occupation of this building is being protected from lawful public scrutiny and competitive tender processes,” the whistleblower said.

“It is alleged that the necessary specifications have deliberately not been furnished to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, KwaZulu-Natal, thereby preventing the advertisement of a public bid.

“If correct, this conduct unlawfully shields the current lease from competition and directly undermines the constitutional procurement principles of fairness, transparency, competitiveness, and cost-effectiveness as set out in section 217 of the constitution,” the whistleblower claimed.

The whistleblower also alleged that Hlomuka has a direct interest in the building.

“More seriously, there are grave concerns that MEC Sipho Hlomuka may have a direct or indirect interest in the continued occupation of this building. If this is so, the withholding of specifications would not be an administrative omission, but part of a deliberate scheme to prevent market testing, preserve an existing financial arrangement, and frustrate lawful procurement oversight.

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“This issue warrants urgent forensic examination, including the tracing of any beneficial interests, related-party links, nominee structures, intermediaries, or undeclared financial relationships connected to the property, its ownership, its management, or any person benefiting from the lease,” the whistleblower said in the letter.

Government departments are required to notify Public Works 18 months before a lease expires. In this case, the whistleblower alleged that Hlomuka’s department informed Public Works only last month, even though the lease is due to expire at the end of this month.

According to the whistleblower, that left Public Works with little choice but to allow the department to remain in the building because there was no time to advertise a tender.

The letter also raised separate allegations that Hlomuka abused his authority to help a company called Aphigugu Trading secure a contract in the province’s R2.5 billion school nutrition tender.

According to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, Hlomuka admitted that he had once been a director of the company, but said he transferred it to his mother when he took public office.

The whistleblower said the allegations warranted a lifestyle audit.

“In light of the above, I respectfully request a full lifestyle audit and asset investigation into MEC Sipho Hlomuka. It has been publicly alleged that he owns or has interests in multiple farms, a club, and a hotel in Ladysmith.

ALSO READ: Gwarube warns against misinformation on draft history curriculum

“The hotel is said to be situated at 39 Azad Avenue, Ladysmith; the club, known as Vida Loca Lounge, is reportedly situated at 8 Egerton Road; and the farms are said to be located within the uThukela and uMzinyathi Districts.

“These alleged interests, together with the apparent scale of his asset base, warrant urgent verification against his declared income, public disclosures, tax position, company records, property records, and any associated trusts, proxies, or business entities.”

The Public Protector, the Office of the Premier and the Auditor-General’s office confirmed that they had received the letter and were looking into the allegations.

“In accordance with PPSA investigation procedures, once a complaint has been lodged with the PPSA, it is screened and assessed to determine jurisdiction and whether there is sufficient information, and substantive reasons as to why the matter should be accepted for investigation, among other things.

“The complaint in question is still at the assessment phase. Should the assessment reveal that there is sufficient information to proceed with an investigation, and it is determined that the Public Protector has jurisdiction to investigate the matter, the complaint will be allocated to a PPSA investigator who then commences the investigation process,” the Office of the Public Protector told Inside Politics.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure also said it was looking into the matter.

“The department of public works and infrastructure has communicated with the Department of Education that the lease will come to an end on 30 April 2026. Currently we are investigating allegations of parking bays at the leased premises,” the department said.

Hlomuka’s spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali, did not respond to questions from Inside Politics, despite being given four days to do so.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

RESONATE, an international audio storytelling festival, is inviting Africa-based journalists, sound artists, filmmakers, podcasters, and other creatives aged 18 to 35 to apply for its six-month Story Lab: Africa Otherwise residency.

The organisation said the programme will support a small cohort of Africa-based storytellers in creating character-driven, sonically rich stories, and that previous experience in audio is not required.

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“Across Africa, oral traditions run deep, yet too much storytelling is confined to news cycles and talk-based formats that flatten lived realities into headlines and soundbites,” RESONATE said.

It said participants will engage in a process that is both creative and collective.

“This residency is more than a training programme. It is a movement to build a new generation of audio producers across Africa, and an invitation to shift the terms of storytelling itself: towards work that moves beyond doom and gloom to centre complexity and lived experience,” RESONATE said.

It said the programme begins with an in-person workshop led by the Transom Travelling Workshop, starting on 1 August in Johannesburg.

“Following the workshop, the six participants will enter a five-month remote production cycle, working closely with audio industry experts as mentors to develop, report, and edit a three to five-minute audio story on youth issues in Africa around the shared theme: Africa Otherwise,” RESONATE said.

“The programme will culminate in a listening event of the fellows’ produced stories, with a world premiere at the Resonate Audio Storytelling Festival in Cape Town.”

Throughout the programme, participants will be provided with round-trip airfare, accommodation, a stipend, story production funding and an audio recording kit.

The programme also includes mentorship sessions, masterclasses on audio storytelling, opportunities to collaborate with a pan-African and international network of narrative audio producers, an all-access pass to RESONATE Cape Town, and a chance to pitch at the pitch party, with the possibility of winning a cash prize.

ALSO READ: Mpumalanga, NECT launch dialogue to tackle school learning gaps

Applicants must submit a motivational letter of about 500 words, a CV, story pitch of about 500 words, and two to three links to previous podcasts, films, written articles or other creative work.

Applicants should have a valid passport by the time selected participants are announced, as well as access to a laptop with a webcam, microphone and a reliable internet connection.

“Participants are expected to attend two 1.5-hour classes and two 1-hour mentoring sessions per month, and dedicate approximately 5 hours to story production per week,” RESONATE said.

It also urged applicants to familiarise themselves with Radio Workshop’s podcast, as the audio stories produced through the programme will be shared on Radio Workshop’s feed.

“We are looking for creative thinkers, cultural workers, essayists, writers, troublemakers, story weavers and braiders, organisers — anyone driven by creativity and a commitment to social justice,” RESONATE said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima 

The Mpumalanga Department of Education and the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) on Tuesday launched a provincial dialogue in Nkangala district to address learning and teaching gaps in schools.

The Provincial Roadshow Dialogue on Learning and Teaching Gaps, held at Emakhazeni Boarding School, was marketed as part of an effort to move beyond national policy discussion and localise the response to weak learning outcomes at provincial and district levels.

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The department said South Africa’s education system continued to face persistent learning gaps driven by systemic inequality, socio-economic pressures, curriculum disruptions and uneven access to quality teaching and learning resources.

“These gaps are most visible in foundational literacy and numeracy, weak progression outcomes, and uneven achievement across provinces, districts and schools,” the department said.

“Critically, the rapid assessment conducted by the NECT indicates that gaps are also reinforced by day-to-day implementation realities in classrooms and schools including limited learner written work, inconsistent adherence to notional teaching time, weak early identification of learning backlogs, and uneven provision of learning support for learners who are behind.”

The department said that while national dialogues and policy frameworks had provided strategic direction, there remained a pressing need to localise those conversations within provinces and districts so that those closest to teaching and learning realities could help shape the response.

It said the provincial roadshow was intended to provide a structured, participatory platform to deepen understanding of the drivers of learning gaps, identify implementation bottlenecks and generate practical, context-specific solutions.

ALSO READ: Gwarube warns against misinformation on draft history curriculum

“The roadshow will serve as a bridge between national priorities and provincial and district realities, creating spaces for inclusive dialogue, shared accountability, and coordinated action,” the department said.

“It will strengthen alignment between policy intent and implementation practice by grounding interventions in the lived experiences of classrooms, schools and communities, and by focusing on tangible levers for improvement such as instructional time on task, quality learner work, targeted learning support, and effective monitoring and support at school and district level.”

The department said the NECT rapid appraisal informing the programme had identified gaps in curriculum coverage, under-utilisation of workbooks and learning materials, and limited cognitive engagement in classrooms.

It said the roadshow provided a platform for dialogue between provincial department officials, teacher unions, district steering committees, Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign structures, school governing body associations, civil society and other provincial and district stakeholders.

According to the department, the aim was to build a shared, evidence-based understanding of the nature, causes and systemic effects of learning gaps across phases and transition grades, while highlighting context-specific challenges and opportunities affecting curriculum coverage, instructional practice, and learner engagement.

The engagement also sought to strengthen collaboration, coherence and alignment among key education stakeholders across governance, management, and classroom support levels, inform coordinated evidence-driven strategies, and encourage shared ownership of solutions and measurable improvement.

Its objectives include sharing evidence transparently, building collective ownership of learning gaps, aligning system actors around priority levers, generating province-specific insights, catalysing provincial action, and strengthening coordination structures to support systemic implementation and monitoring.

“By bringing together teacher unions, districts, district steering committees, QLTC, SGB associations, researchers, and teachers, the initiative will foster inclusive dialogue, evidence-informed action, and sustainable partnerships,” the department said.

“Through localisation of national priorities, co-creation of solutions, and strengthening of coordination structures, the roadshow will contribute to closing learning gaps and advancing quality, equitable education for all learners.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has warned that misinformation is spreading about the draft History curriculum, urging South Africans to read the document themselves and take part in the public comment process.

The draft curriculum, which is still under review, was developed by a task team appointed in 2019 by former minister Angie Motshekga. It proposes changes to how History is taught from Grades 4 to 12.

ALSO READ: Explosives used to break into North West primary schools, steal laptops

In a statement on Tuesday, Gwarube said the document was released specifically to allow the public to engage with it and help shape the final version. However, she raised concern that some of the criticism being shared is based on claims that are not supported by what is actually in the draft.

She urged stakeholders to engage directly with the document instead of relying on incorrect or misleading information.

“I therefore encourage as many people as possible to indicate where they believe the draft should be strengthened, corrected, expanded or refined,” Gwarube said.

The minister stressed that the development of the curriculum must be inclusive and transparent, allowing different voices to be heard before any final decisions are made.

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She also outlined key principles that should guide the process, saying the curriculum must present a balanced view of the country’s past.

“Our History curriculum should not exclude key events or perspectives on political grounds, nor should it impose any particular ideology on learners,” she said.

“I am committed to ensuring that the curriculum equips learners to think critically about our past, so that they may form their own opinions,” she said.

“As South Africans, we understand how complex our history is, and how important the study of it is for reconciliation and nation-building. Robust and responsible engagement is essential,” she said.

The Department of Basic Education has called on the public to make detailed submissions on the draft before it is finalised, saying this will help ensure the curriculum is accurate, balanced and beneficial to learners.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

Criminals used explosives to blow open strong rooms at two primary schools in Disaneng village near Mafikeng and steal 26 laptops.

The North West Department of Education said on Tuesday that criminals targeted Moteu Makabanyane Primary School and Ipelegeng Batlharo Primary School on the morning of 10 April, when staff discovered that strong rooms in the principals’ offices had been broken into and the doors blown off using heavy explosives.

At Moteu Makabanyane Primary School, 14 laptops were stolen, while 12 were taken from Ipelegeng Batlharo Primary School, the department said.

It said that the devices were used by teachers at both schools for lesson preparation, research, and teaching.

Moteu Makabanyane Primary School principal Joel Maleka said the attack had left the school reeling.

“I am extremely disappointed by the act of destroying our school and stealing laptops that benefit our learners. Just the previous day, we were using them without any suspicion that they would be stolen.

“Now the entire office is in disarray after explosives were used to demolish the walls of our strong room, including the principal’s office. We do not know how we will replace these laptops, and our learners are going to suffer,” said Maleka.

North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi condemned the theft and destruction, saying schools in the province were increasingly being targeted by criminals.

“The situation is getting out of control. It is clear that criminals are now targeting schools to further their interests. Just recently, there was an incident where a classroom was set alight at FM Ramaboa Technical School and now we are faced with the theft of computers. All these incidents are taking place within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District.

“This is an act of self-destruction. We are destroying the little that the government has provided for us. More importantly, we are destroying the future of our own children.

“A nation that does not educate its children is doomed. I am appealing to all communities in this province to remain vigilant against illegal activities taking place in our schools. They must ensure that such acts are reported to the nearest police stations. Furthermore, the public must refrain from buying stolen goods and instead report such criminal activities to the police,” said Motsumi.

The department said cases of theft of computers and malicious damage to property had been opened with the South African Police Service at both schools.

INSIDE EDUCATION