By Johnathan Paoli

The Department of Basic Education (DBE), together with the Northern Cape Department of Education, honoured top-performing schools and districts on Friday during the 2025/26 National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) Best Schools and Districts Awards, with officials praising schools for sustaining learner support despite mounting financial pressures in the education sector.

The awards ceremony, hosted at Laerskool Seodin, in Kuruman on Friday, recognised excellence in the implementation of the programme which provides daily meals to millions of learners across South Africa.

Deputy Minister of Basic Education Reginah Mhaule, Northern Cape Education MEC Abraham Vosloo and executive mayor of the Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality, Neo Masegela, attended the ceremony to honour schools, districts and officials involved in the programme.

In her keynote address, Mhaule began by extending condolences to families and communities affected by recent flooding in parts of the Northern Cape.

“Today, although in sombre spirits due to the loss of life and livelihoods negatively affected by the floods, we celebrate the impact of the National School Nutrition Programme, which continues to play a vital role in ensuring that no learner is left behind,” she said.

Mhaule said the awards highlighted the dedication of officials, food handlers and administrators responsible for ensuring the success of the programme in schools across the country.

“The NSNP awards are not just about recognition; they are about celebrating the passion, innovation, and creativity that are driving this programme forward,” she said.

“Whether it is through the outstanding efforts of our school nutrition coordinators, the skillful preparation of meals by our dedicated Food Handlers or the excellence of the administrators who ensure that everything runs smoothly, you are all champions of this cause,” Mhaule added.

She described the awards as a small but meaningful way to honour the schools’ dedication and highlight the extraordinary work that happens at the ground level to make the programme a success.

“It is your commitment that inspires others and helps to create a ripple effect of positive change in our communities,” Mhaule said.

The deputy minister also called on government institutions, communities and private partners to continue working together to ensure learners are adequately supported.

Delivering the welcoming address, Mayor Masegela commended schools for ensuring conducive learning environments through effective implementation of the nutrition programme.

He applauded schools for “their dedication to providing conducive environments for effective learning, through ensuring efficient implementation of the National School Nutrition Programme”.

Vosloo used the occasion to stress that the Northern Cape government had protected the programme from spending cuts despite budget constraints affecting the broader education sector.

“We must never cut NSNP. Critical times that we are currently facing: budget cuts. We are suffering because of budget cuts. But the NSNP has never been cut,” said Vosloo.

The MEC said 85% of schools in the province benefit from the programme, with about 275,000 learners receiving meals daily.

According to figures presented during the ceremony, the Northern Cape has 551 schools in total, with 498 schools benefiting from the provincial nutrition programme.

Vosloo said quintile four and five schools were also included among beneficiaries, reaching between 79,000 and 100,000 learners in those categories.

“Almost 85% of the schools in the province benefit from the NSNP,” he said.

Chief Director for Provincial School Management, Administration and Support, Sandile Beuzana, said the awards aimed to recognise and encourage excellence in education support systems.

“Today’s gathering stands as a powerful reminder that when we uplift education, we uplift generations; and when we recognize excellence, we pave the way for even greater achievements,” Beuzana said.

“The Best School Awards exist to affirm a simple yet powerful truth: Excellence in education must be seen, acknowledged, rewarded, and most importantly, replicated,” he added.

The Namakwa Education District was announced as the winner in the Best District category.

Van Zylsrus Intermediate School won the Best Farm School category, while Isaac Mhlambi Primary School received top honours as the overall winner in the Best School category.

The department said the awards sought to encourage innovation and accountability in school nutrition delivery while recognising institutions that consistently improve learner welfare through effective implementation of the programme.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Eighty-three learners from Hlanganani High School in Mpumalanga have completed an intensive crime prevention and justice programme aimed at equipping young people with a practical understanding of South Africa’s criminal justice system and promoting safer schools and communities.

Safer South Africa Foundation (SSAF) announced on Friday that the learners had successfully completed the 12-day Communities and Justice Programme (CJP), an experiential learning initiative focused on social crime prevention.

SSAF chief executive Riah Phiyega said the programme had now reached more than 8,000 learners across Mpumalanga over the past five years.

“This brings the total number of learners reached to more than 8,000 across Mpumalanga over the past five years,” Phiyega said.

The organisation said participating learners were inducted as Safety Ambassadors at their school. Hlanganani High School is the 11th school in Mpumalanga, and the third in the Kabokweni area, to participate in the programme.

Throughout the initiative, learners engaged with officials and representatives from the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Kabokweni and the Provincial Crime Prevention Office, the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court, the Department of Correctional Services at Barberton Correctional Centre, and Nedbank through Banking Association South Africa.

Advocate Antoinette Nkosi from the NPA said the programme had helped redirect disruptive behaviour among some learners.

“The learners were mostly interested in two things: they wanted to know the typical sentences for certain crimes, and during the mock court activity, they noticed the different roles played by court officials. They then asked many career-related questions,” Nkosi said.

As part of the experiential learning process, learners visited the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court to observe live proceedings and participate in a mock court exercise.

“They also visited the Barberton Correctional Centre, where they interacted with correctional officials and inmates to better understand the consequences of criminal behaviour,” SSAF said.

Learners also received financial literacy training facilitated by Nedbank, covering responsible financial management, saving and informed decision-making.

As part of the next phase of the programme, learners were required to submit essays on the topic: “What can learners do to stop crime in their community and school?”

SSAF said the top-performing learners would advance to the Youth4SaferSouthAfrica Debate and Leadership Development Programme.

“Debating equips young people with critical thinking, public speaking and leadership skills, while encouraging active citizenship and advocacy on crime prevention and community safety,” the organisation said.

The foundation said it had also addressed the issue of “uniform poverty” through stakeholder support, resulting in the distribution of 400 pairs of school shoes to learners across six schools in Mpumalanga.

Teacher and school coordinator at Hlanganani High School, Zwedi Nxumalo, said the initiative came at a critical time for the school.

“This programme came at a critical time, as we had been facing serious challenges related to learner conduct, safety and external influences from the surrounding community,” Nxumalo said.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Organisers commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising have launched a nationwide campaign aimed at honouring the legacy of the student revolt while reviving youth activism and civic participation ahead of the 2026 milestone.

The Seth Mazibuko Foundation unveiled its “1976@50” programme at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West last week, bringing together struggle veterans, political figures, artists and young people at the site synonymous with the June 16 uprising against apartheid-era education policies.

Led by uprising leader Seth Mazibuko, the initiative will include concerts, academic forums, youth dialogues and heritage projects under the theme “Finishing What Was Started”.

“The spirit of 1976 still exists 50 years after the atrocities of June 16,” Mazibuko said at the launch. “It is a spirit and an idea that Steve Biko said would never die.”

The foundation said it had partnered with organisations including the Kagiso Trust, Constitution Hill, the Robben Island Museum and the National Heritage Council of South Africa to coordinate the commemorations.

Organisers said American R&B singer Syleena Johnson would collaborate with South African artist Yvonne Chaka Chaka on a commemorative theme song, while a documentary and feature film on the uprising were also planned.

A Unity Concert scheduled for June 14, 2026, will feature performers including Sipho Mabuse, Marah Louw and PJ Powers.

Academic institutions including University of the Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg are expected to host colloquiums examining the political and social impact of the 1976 uprising.

Neo Merafi, founder of Maverick Brand Communications and a lead organiser of the campaign, said the anniversary should serve as a catalyst for addressing challenges facing South Africa’s youth.

“While the youth of 1976 were the dawn of liberation, the youth of 2026 are the dawn of reconstruction,” Merafi said.

“They are facing their own catastrophic struggles — economic exclusion, political disillusionment and systemic inequality.”

Merafi said the campaign would focus on practical initiatives including youth employment, civic education and voter participation, alongside efforts to preserve oral histories and create a permanent digital archive documenting the events of 1976.

Organisers also plan intergenerational dialogues between members of the “class of 1976” and the “class of 2026”, culminating in a proposed National Youth Manifesto to be presented to the president on Youth Day in 2026.

The public has been invited to gather at Confrontation Corner in Soweto on June 16, 2026, for a symbolic march to Orlando Stadium marking five decades since the uprising that helped galvanise resistance to apartheid.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Former Auditor-General Terence Nombembe has been appointed chairperson of the University of the Witwatersrand Council for a three-year term, with the option of renewal, the university said on Thursday.

Nombembe was the first black South African to serve as Auditor-General in the institution’s 100-year history and brings extensive experience in governance, ethics and public accountability to the role.

Wits Chancellor Judy Dlamini welcomed the appointment, describing Nombembe as “a wise, accessible and ethical leader”.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr Nombembe to Wits. We look forward to working with him,” Dlamini said.

Nombembe said he was honoured to take up the position and committed to strengthening governance in higher education.

“I am pleased to serve in this role and I look forward to building on the strong governance foundation that Council has established,” he said.

Nombembe served as chief executive of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants from 2014 to 2019.

In 2018, he joined the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, known as the Zondo Commission, as head of investigations, serving until the commission concluded its work in 2022.

He also served on the board of the South African Reserve Bank until 2023 and completed his tenure as chairperson of the Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council in 2024.

“These roles have placed me in good stead to accept this key position in higher education. I believe that universities have a role to play in sustainable nation building and we must safeguard against leadership override of good governance and internal controls,” Nombembe said.

Nombembe holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Transkei and a BCompt Honours degree from the University of South Africa. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1990.

His career includes senior roles at KPMG, Unilever South Africa and BP Southern Africa, where he gained experience in auditing, financial management and corporate governance.

He has received several honours for ethical leadership and public service, including the Jörg Kandutsch Excellence Award from the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, as well as honorary doctorates from Walter Sisulu University and the University of Pretoria.

Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal Zeblon Vilakazi described Nombembe as a leader of “exceptional integrity and distinction”.

“We are honoured to welcome him and look forward to working with him in advancing Wits’ mission of academic excellence and societal impact,” Vilakazi said.

The university said Nombembe’s experience and principled approach to governance aligned closely with Wits’ institutional values.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Universities South Africa has backed Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela’s decision to place the National Student Financial Aid Scheme under administration, but warned that the intervention would not resolve the deeper structural problems facing the student funding system.

In a statement, USAf welcomed assurances that student allowances, funding disbursements, appeals processing and engagements with institutions would continue uninterrupted during the administration period.

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The organisation also welcomed the appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator.

The intervention follows Manamela’s announcement on May 4 after continued governance instability at NSFAS, including the resignation of two board members, among them acting chairperson Mugwena Maluleke.

Manamela cited a series of governance and operational failures behind the move, including a disclaimer audit outcome for the 2024/25 financial year, material irregularities flagged by the Auditor-General, and persistent weaknesses in internal controls.

The minister said the administrator would also be empowered to appoint specialist expertise in areas including audit remediation, ICT systems, governance, finance and legal services.

USAf said the administration could help stabilise the scheme in the short term, but would not address broader systemic weaknesses within NSFAS and the country’s student financial aid model.

“The challenges confronting NSFAS are indicative of serious structural deficiencies in the design, governance, and implementation of the country’s student financial aid system,” the organisation said.

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USAf cautioned that repeated administrative interventions and board changes over the years had failed to address the root causes of instability at NSFAS.

According to the organisation, the recurring cycle of crises, followed by the appointment of new boards, administrators and task teams, had produced only temporary stability before structural problems resurfaced, leaving students and universities to bear the consequences.

USAf called for a comprehensive national dialogue and systemic review of South Africa’s student funding model to ensure long-term sustainability, accountability and effectiveness.

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By Levy Masiteng 

The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the City of Tshwane to restore electricity to schools that were cut off over unpaid property rates.

 Laerskool Wierdapark and AfriForum brought the urgent application this week.

The matter was heard on Tuesday.

AfriForum said several schools were disconnected, despite having paid their electricity accounts in full. It said school governing bodies are responsible for paying for services such as electricity and water, while property rates are meant to be dealt with by “the authorities”.

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AfriForum’s head of cultural affairs, Alana Bailey, said the disconnections had disrupted teaching and placed learners and staff at risk.

“It is unfair that learners and staff’s rights to have access to quality education, safety, and even the provision of their basic needs are being violated due to the authorities’ maladministration. At the affected schools, teaching could not take place as usual. Systems that should protect safety on the premises were not working. Feeding schemes that should provide hot meals to the most vulnerable children could not continue, while supplies in refrigerators spoiled,” Bailey said.

She said the order provided urgent relief to schools that should never have been drawn into a dispute over debts they were not responsible for.

“AfriForum is grateful for the speedy relief that the court order provides to the affected schools and trusts that the Metro will consult with the relevant authorities in the future, instead of trying to hold schools accountable for outstanding debts that they are not responsible for. Not only does this punish the innocent, but it also jeopardises learners’ right to quality education and safety, which is completely unacceptable,” Bailey said.

The Freedom Front Plus said Wierdapark Primary School had already been affected and warned that more schools in Pretoria could have faced the same fate without intervention.

“This step is reckless and inhumane, as schools themselves are not responsible for paying property rates. The responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Department of Education,” the party said.

The VF Plus said the crisis pointed to “a pattern of poor coordination and a lack of accountability” between the metro and the provincial government.

The Tshwane dispute has heightened scrutiny of a separate electricity crisis affecting schools in Ekurhuleni, where the Democratic Alliance in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature has accused the Gauteng Department of Education of misleading the public about school electricity cuts.

The DA said the department had publicly claimed that no schools had been disconnected, but that an official reply by Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile showed otherwise.

According to the DA, three schools experienced electricity disconnections in 2024, 31 schools were affected in 2025, and 16 schools had already been affected in the first four months of 2026.

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The party said schools including Bedfordview High, Laerskool Welgedacht and Laerskool Morewag had been without electricity for extended periods.

“This is not a mistake — it is a deliberate attempt to hide the department’s financial and administrative failures while learners sit in dark classrooms,” the DA said.

DA Gauteng education spokesperson Michael Waters said the party would not allow the department to minimise the scale of the problem.

“Parents and learners deserve the truth. The DA will not allow the department to keep covering up this crisis,” Waters said.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Deputy Minister of Basic Education Dr Reginah Mhaule on Tuesday reiterated the department’s focus on strengthening foundational learning, with particular emphasis on literacy and numeracy.

Speaking at the Theological Short Course Workshop and launch at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, Mhaule said a solid foundation remained critical to the success of the education system as a whole.

She warned that weak early learning structures compromised the entire trajectory of education outcomes.

“For this reason, the department continues to strengthen early learning interventions while expanding key programmes such as mother tongue-based bilingual education, South African Sign Language, digital skills training, and improved English language instruction to ensure inclusive and quality education for all learners,” she said.

Mhaule said partnerships with higher education institutions were also central to reviewing and strengthening teacher education qualifications, as well as improving training systems.

“Partnerships with higher education institutions remain central, particularly in the review and strengthening of teacher education qualifications and the continuous improvement of training systems,” she said.

“Teachers, especially at foundation level, must be continuously trained, supported, and re-skilled, as they play a critical role in shaping learning from its earliest stages and building strong educational outcomes for the future.”

Drawing a parallel with faith-based leadership, Mhaule said ongoing development was equally important for church leaders to remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment.

“It strengthens leadership capacity in areas such as pastoral care, management, communication and conflict resolution, while also deepening spiritual maturity and practical effectiveness in guiding communities,” she said.

“Education and ongoing development are essential for effective service, responsible leadership, and meaningful transformation. I urge leaders to remain grounded in knowledge, guided by purpose, and committed to lifelong growth in both professional and spiritual capacity.”

Mhaule added that church leaders must be equipped to navigate complex social, cultural and technological realities, stressing that continuous learning was key to maintaining relevance and sound doctrine while adapting to change.

“Ultimately, continuous development, whether in education or ministry, is about strengthening foundations, sustaining relevance and preparing leaders to serve with wisdom, excellence and purpose,” she said.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called for urgent and sustained investment in early childhood development (ECD), saying that South Africa and the region risk entrenching inequality before children enter formal schooling.

Gwarube was speaking at the Southern and East Africa Regional Childcare Conference in Johannesburg this week, convened by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the World Bank to discuss access to affordable, quality childcare and early learning across the region.

The conference comes as government moves to expand access to ECD services through centre registration, increased subsidies and partnerships with the private sector and philanthropic organisations.

The department said government had exceeded its target of registering 10,000 ECD centres by the end of 2025, with more than 13,300 centres registered through the Bana Pele drive.

It has also set aside R10 billion over three years to support ECD subsidies, including an increase in the subsidy from R17 to R24 per child per day.

Gwarube said investment in early learning was critical to improving education outcomes, advancing gender equality and supporting long-term economic growth.

The conference heard that inequalities in education often begin long before children enter Grade 1.

“She illustrated this through the contrasting experiences of two children, one who benefited from early learning and support, and another who did not, highlighting that disparities in opportunity, not ability, determine educational success,” the DBE said.

Gwarube pointed to research showing that many children are not developmentally on track by the time they reach school-going age, while poor nutrition and stunting continue to undermine children’s ability to learn and thrive.

“Learning does not begin in Grade 1. It begins in the earliest years of a child’s life,” Gwarube said.

“If we fail to act during this critical window, we entrench inequality before formal education even begins.”

She also highlighted government’s work with private-sector and philanthropic partners through a R496 million Early Childhood Care and Education Outcomes Fund, aimed at expanding access to quality childcare in underserved communities, including rural areas.

The fund is expected to support the creation of more than 115,000 new ECD spaces in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Gwarube said childcare should be treated not only as a social priority, but also as an economic necessity, particularly because affordable and reliable childcare enables more women to enter and remain in the workforce.

The conference also focused on regional cooperation, with countries in Southern and East Africa expected to share best practice, improve quality standards and explore scalable models for childcare provision.

While Africa’s young population presents a major demographic opportunity, Gwarube warned that this potential would only be realised if governments and partners invest deliberately in children’s earliest years.

“The measure of our success must be the number of children who arrive at school ready to learn, to thrive, and to succeed,” she said.

She asked governments, development partners, civil society and the private sector to move beyond commitments and take practical steps to expand access to quality early learning and childcare.

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