By Charmaine Ndlela

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has announced new funding measures to tackle a major shortfall for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The financial aid scheme and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) have “reprioritised” R13.3 billion from their existing budget to 34,000 students with blocked registrations, as well as R15,000 to second-semester registrations.

According to spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi: “These funds came out of the recoveries we received from loans paid by former students and the money that was paid to institutions for either accommodation or tuition, which was not utilised fully. Institutions had to bring it back to NSFAS, and therefore, we had to ask permission to utilise it for 2025.”

In August 2025, NSFAS announced that it faced a funding shortfall of R10.6 billion for universities and R1.6 billion for technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. This left students who provided registration data after the March 31 deadline in limbo and prevented some students from registering for the second semester.

According to NSFAS, the deficit was the result of an increasing number of students qualifying for higher education funding; the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, which expanded the eligibility criteria; and declining state resources.

Students who were affected by the funding deficit included university students who applied during the TVET cycle, students whose registration confirmations were received after the registration portal had been closed, students who had successful appeals that were unfunded, and second-semester registrations.

“Student accommodation providers who were impacted…will also be in a position to now receive payments for services rendered,” NSFAS said in a press statement.

Housing providers have reported severe financial strain due to NSFAS failing to pay them on time, resulting in students being evicted from their residences or forced to live in unsafe conditions.

According to the Democratic Alliance, responding to the announcement, “In Kimberley alone, more than 500 students from Sol Plaatje University and Northern Cape Urban TVET College are now facing eviction.

Landlords, some unpaid for over a year, say they have lost all trust in the fund and are demanding transparency. Because of these failures, students cannot pay rent or tuition fees and are left in an impossible situation. They are facing evictions, falling behind on studies, and growing increasingly frustrated with NSFAS’s administrative chaos — from a botched system switch to delays in allowances and accommodation payments.”

A 2023 study conducted by Higher Health found that 63% of university students who depend on NSFAS funding reported high levels of financial stress, which negatively impacted their academic performance and mental health.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Takealot have partnered to bridge the gap between education and employment by offering industry-relevant skills training and e-commerce business opportunities to young people, through the Takealot Township Economy Initiative.

The signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the DHET and Takealot took place at Takealot in Kempton Park on Wednesday.

During the ceremony, both organisations said the partnership aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the digital economy.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mimmy Gondwe, said that the initiative has four main initiatives. The first was the adoption of three TVET colleges near its distribution centres in Kempton Park, Durban, and Cape Town, to provide students with work-integrated learning opportunities and industry experts to support curriculum development.

The second initiative included an expansion of Takealot’s bursary programme. Gondwe said her department will match the funding, thereby enabling more students to access education, particularly in high-demand skills areas such as ICT, logistics, and e-commerce retail.

Gondwe said that Takealot will also use its logistics and delivery network to ensure timely delivery of textbooks to students across various campuses, nationwide.

The fourth initiative involves the township economy, whereby the partners will support township entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises to participate in the digital economy, providing training, funding, and access to Takealot’s platform.

Takealot CEO Frederik Zietsman said the company employed 7,500 people, supported 33,000 livelihoods, and hosted 50,000 sellers on its platform.

“[W]e empower multiple more people to earn a livelihood and to have careers within our ecosystem,” Zietsman said.

Gondwe said that staff and students will benefit from mentorship, career guidance, and volunteerism from Takealot employees, and that more importantly, Takealot will extend free access to online learning resources, offering a global college catalogue of skills training directly to students.

Gondwe also emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing the country’s high unemployment rate.

“Today’s MoU builds on our Takealot Township Economy Initiative agreements in Mpumalanga and Gauteng and now takes them national, with clear roles, measurable outcomes, and shared accountability,” she said.

Zietsman highlighted the company’s commitment to using e-commerce to improve lives.

“Our purpose statement is truly our conviction. We live day in, day out, with the conviction of using e-commerce to change lives in South Africa for the better.”

The Takealot Township Economy Initiative aims to create 20 000 new opportunities by 2028.

Zietsman said Takealot had already supported over 130 TVET learners through work-integrated learning programmes and has a “Yes for Youth” programme that supports over 120 learners and graduates.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli on Thursday unveiled a province-wide School Safety Programme aimed at addressing rising incidents of violence, crime, and drug abuse in schools.

Speaking at the Archie Gumede Conference Centre in Durban, Ntuli said the initiative was a bold commitment to inspire new hope by creating safer, stronger, and more prosperous communities, starting with schools.

Since January 2024, KZN has recorded more than 2,300 cases of sexual harassment, violence, theft, gang activity, drug abuse and faction fighting in schools.

“These are not just statistics. They are broken lives, interrupted education, and communities in distress. We cannot and will not stand by,” Ntuli told delegates.

The School Safety Programme will recruit and train student ambassadors to champion accountability and create safer school environments, while also establishing confidential reporting channels for learners to raise concerns about bullying, gender-based violence, and substance abuse.

In addition, security infrastructure will be strengthened through the installation of CCTV cameras in 20 schools across eThekwini, King Cetshwayo, and Amajuba districts. 

The initiative will further promote arts, culture, and sports as preventative tools, using platforms such as poetry, debates, and other activities to encourage positive social messaging and awareness.

The programme will be implemented through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Departments of Community Safety and Liaison, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, and the South African Police Service.

The launch was attended by representatives from law enforcement, senior government officials, educators, and community leaders, reflecting a broad commitment to making schools safer.

Ntuli emphasised that the responsibility for safe schools extended beyond the government.

“School safety is a collective responsibility. Communities must guard against vandalism and crime. Parents must remain present and guide their children. Learners, your voices matter, your leadership matters,” he said.

He warned that the province’s future depended on ensuring that schools remained “true havens of growth.”

“The safety of our children is non-negotiable. It is the foundation on which our province and our nation will stand or fall. No child in KwaZulu-Natal should ever fear walking into a classroom, and no parent should fear sending their child to school,” Ntuli said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thebe Mabanga

Trailblazing academic and sector policy expert Jeanette Mosia is a focused, deeply spiritual mother of two who uses her success not only to uplift her family but also to show young people that their background does not define their future.

Her latest accomplishment is to finish top of her class in the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PDBA) at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), in a programme funded by the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA).

Her life mantra, displayed as her WhatsApp status is: “Distraction leads to deception, deception leads to dislocation, dislocation leads to disruption.”

It is taken from renowned evangelist Bishop Dale Bronner’s sermon and means that if you are distraction from your purpose, it can lead you to be deceived by life’s temptation and once dislocated from your path, it can ruin your life, career, and family life.

“For me it highlights the importance of having a stubborn and resolute focus regardless of what life throws at you.” says Mosia.

“ What looks like a small distraction can lead you into a negative chain, you can easily entangle yourself in a web that you do not know how to get out of.”

It is this single-minded determination that allows her to juggle her work as a programme manager at the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) in Pretoria, running her ministry with her husband, Bonngwe Mosia, whom he credits for support and running their household with two small children and juggling studies which following the PDBA, now involves taking on an MBA in October.

The fourth of five children and the first to graduate in her family, Mosia was born in Makhubung village outside Mahikeng in the North West.  

After completing her high school in Mmabatho, she studied at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she obtained a BSc in Construction Studies in 2008, followed by an Honours the year after and an MSc in Project Management in 2012.

For the CETA funded programme, she was alerted by a friend and former colleague and promptly applied for a four-month International Executive Development Programme.

It was literally while undergoing orientation in April 2024 that she learnt that she will be doing a yearlong programme that requires her to attend class one week every month.

Mosia, 39, believes this was divine intervention as she may never have agreed to such a commitment willingly given her work and ministry.

She has now seen it through with flying colours.

She notes that her favourite part of the program was doing immersion in Dubai, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong as these gave her firsthand experience of how other countries do business and transform cities as well as the value of strong leadership and commitment to development.

CETA funds such programmes to help build leadership not just for the South African built environment but for the broader corporate sector.

“My goal when I joined the programme was  to facilitate my transition from technical roles to more strategic and executive roles and I am ready for it.” says Mosia.

Mosia says between a full-time job, studying, raising small kids, and co-leading a church ministry with her husband, she does not get to have much time left to herself.

The two activities that “ignite her soul” are ballroom dancing, which she has not done in years, and completing a road race, which she cannot do consistently but compensates for it with daily walks.  

She has time to occasionally read for pleasure and counts John Maxwell as among her favourite authors for his bible centered philosophy on leadership.  

CETA, with its aim to provide skills development services to the construction sector and implement the objectives of the National Skills Development Strategy, plays a crucial role in ensuring that the construction sector is equipped with the critical and scarce skills necessary for economic sustainability and global competitiveness.

The CETA officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in 2024 to foster collaboration and strengthen the South African construction and built-environment sector.

In terms of the MOU, Gibs will design and deliver specialised learning programmes tailored to the needs of professionals within the construction sector.

These programmes span from entrepreneurial development to executive leadership development programme, and engage in thought-leadership, research, and skills planning.

CETA chief executive Malusi Shezi says the construction Seta aims to train 120 women to occupy key positions within the construction industry.

“We have made it clear that 60% of the beneficiaries of the international executive development programme is women. This was to ensure that women occupy key positions within the construction sector, which was traditionally dominated by men, says Shezi.

“We did not want a situation where companies would say we are not hiring women because we cannot find them. We have now made it possible for them to put women in key executive positions. We made sure we increase the pool so that there is no reason for companies not to transform. Women deserve to be given opportunities.”

Professor Morris Mthombeni, dean of GIBS, says collaborative partnerships with institutions such as CETA hold immense value “as they enable us to collectively develop innovative solutions for the skills challenges facing our nation.”

INSIDE EDUCATON

By Thapelo Molefe

Parliament has urged parents of foreign national learners to exercise vigilance amid warnings that Operation Dudula activists could attempt to block children from accessing schools on Wednesday.

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, said the committee was deeply concerned by social media posts suggesting the group intended to disrupt schooling.

“We condemn this conduct from Operation Dudula activists, and we call on them not to distract school operations. Learning time is of essence and especially this close to preliminary and final examinations,” Feni said.

He called on the Department of Basic Education to implement measures to safeguard schools and ensure that any individuals who threaten learners are held accountable.

Operation Dudula, known for previous illegal demonstrations at healthcare facilities, has not publicly confirmed the planned action but has faced criticism for targeting foreign nationals in various sectors.

The group’s organisational leader Zandile Dabula, recently announced that Operation Dudula will launch a larger campaign at the end of December, continuing into January 2026, aimed at preventing foreign children particularly those without legal documentation from enrolling in public schools in South Africa. 

Dabula said members of the movement would be stationed at schools to enforce the policy.

Civil society organisations have condemned the plans. Equal Education (EE) and the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) argue the proposed campaign violates the Constitution and a landmark High Court ruling affirming the rights of all children in the country to basic education, regardless of documentation status.

The issue of foreign nationals in South Africa, especially undocumented migrants, has been contentious for years, sparking protests, policy debates and tension over access to limited resources such as housing, healthcare and education.

Feni warned that any attempts to block access to schools could traumatise young learners and escalate into broader criminal activity. 

“These violent actions have the potential to be such a traumatic experience for young children and must be stopped. The uncoordinated activism by Operation Dudula is a concern, and could likely be hijacked by criminal elements,” he said.

He further appealed to principals to remain vigilant and to prioritise the safety and welfare of learners under their care.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

As Johannesburg gears up to host the G20 Summit later this year, the city’s creative heartbeat was on full display with the launch of Babize Bonke, a bold new campaign by the Jozi My Jozi movement.

Staged along the inner-city Main Street walkway, the launch showcased art, music, and stories of resilience from local champions who are reshaping Johannesburg from the ground up.

Among the eight champions celebrated in the campaign is Dr. Taddy Blecher, education pioneer and CEO of the Maharishi Invincibility Institute.

Inside Metros reached out to the pioneer, who described the Babize Bonke platform as a chance to connect Johannesburg’s revival directly to improving security in the area and opportunity.

“Johannesburg has always been a place of resilience and reinvention. The world will be watching us later this year. What we need to show is that Joburg is not defined by its problems but by the creativity, compassion, and determination of its people. Campaigns like Babize Bonke prove that,” Blecher reflected.

Blecher’s contribution to the campaign is rooted in the philosophy he has carried for decades: that transformation is not only about physical infrastructure, but about human capacity.

The campaign emphasises making the invisible visible.

For decades, he has been giving a platform to young people from backgrounds where talent often goes unnoticed.

Many of his institute’s students come from households with little or no income, yet graduate with globally recognised qualifications, entrepreneurial skills, and employment opportunities.

This follows the launch of the Security Mastery Academy (SMA), a partnership between the Maharishi Invincibility Institute and CAP Security launched last year; which seeks to professionalise the security sector while simultaneously creating opportunities for young people to play a direct role in Johannesburg’s regeneration.

“This academy is about mastery on two levels. On one level, we’re training consummate professionals who can meet the demands of a sector critical to South Africa’s safety and stability. On another level, we’re helping individuals achieve personal mastery through holistic training, from martial arts to stress management, from leadership skills to Transcendental Meditation,” Blecher said.

The programme is structured over three years, moving from security officer training to supervisory and commander levels.

Graduates are guaranteed employment, ensuring that the pathway leads not only to skills but to livelihoods.

Jozi My Jozi has broadened its scope with a series of initiatives designed to restore safety, dignity, and opportunity across Johannesburg’s inner city.

Through the Light Up Jozi campaign, the movement is raising R300 000 to install solar-powered lights in darkened areas, expanding on the successful revitalisation of the Nelson Mandela Bridge with plans to add solar panels along key corridors.

This work ties into broader efforts to repurpose derelict buildings for job creation, open arts and reading spaces for children, and establish technology centres offering coding, robotics, and AI training for youth while providing adult skills development during the day.

Partnerships with schools are central to identifying safety concerns, career opportunities, and sport facility needs.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is another critical pillar, with Jozi My Jozi working alongside the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and the Education department to register and upgrade under-resourced centres in the inner city and Soweto.

The aim is to bring them up to Bronze Level standards, unlocking government funding and creating sustainable environments for children and educators.

By strengthening ECD infrastructure, the initiative seeks to empower communities and ensure that young learners receive the foundation needed for future success.

At the same time, Jozi My Jozi is addressing homelessness through collaborations with NGOs such as MES, U-Turn, and the Johannesburg Homeless Network.

This includes renovating shelters, piloting containerised housing solutions, and launching a citywide “Point in Time Count” to establish accurate data on Johannesburg’s homeless population.

Together, these efforts reflect Jozi My Jozi’s community-driven vision of a safer, revitalised Johannesburg that balances immediate social challenges with long-term sustainable growth.

With the G20 Summit set to spotlight Johannesburg in November, initiatives like these demonstrate

As Jozi My Jozi continues to rally businesses, communities, and creatives under its “coalition of the doing,” Blecher sees these initiatives as demonstrating how civil society and business are stepping up to redefine the city’s story.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department has announced a province-wide clampdown on unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles after a crash on Monday in Impendle left at least 20 learners injured.

MEC Siboniso Duma said traffic inspectors, working with municipal authorities, would be tasked with removing reckless drivers and unsafe minibuses from the road.

Duma confirmed on Tuesday that the driver involved in Monday’s accident had been arrested. He was found to hold only a learner’s licence and no Professional Driving Permit (PrDP), in violation of the National Land Transport Act.

“In KwaZulu-Natal, there are many unroadworthy vehicles used in private scholar transport,” Duma said. “We will remove from our road networks reckless drivers who are behind the spike in accidents that have destroyed families and cut short the lives of innocent people.”

Last week, a school taxi crashed into a crèche in iMbali, Pietermaritzburg, leading to the deaths of five children. Eight others were injured.

The latest accident occurred when a minibus taxi carrying learners aged between eight and 15 plunged off the KwaKhetha Bridge in Impendle. The children were taken to various healthcare facilities, where some are still recovering.

Spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said the department would also hold urgent talks with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in the province to address the increasing number of accidents involving scholar transport.

In addition, the department will partner with the Vehicle Testing Association, part of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, to strengthen roadworthy checks. All minibuses will be tested at accredited municipal or private testing facilities, aligned with their designated route permits.

“The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport remains committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of all learners across the province,” the department said in a statement.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) education authorities have ordered an urgent investigation into allegations that teachers at Thubalethu Secondary School in Pinetown molested female pupils, in a case that has triggered national concern over rising reports of sexual abuse in South Africa’s schools.

Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka said he is “outraged” at the reports and ordered immediate action.

“Any acts of abuse or misconduct by educators fundamentally undermine the trust, care, and responsibility that define the teaching profession,” he said.

The department condemned the alleged conduct as “abhorrent behaviour”, adding: “The protection, safety, and well-being of learners remain our highest priority.” 

“Investigators will be deployed to the school to establish the facts, strengthen accountability and ensure those guilty, face the law and disciplinary processes. As the department, we will not sit idle while the integrity of our schools is compromised and the safety of our learners is threatened,” Hlomuka said.

He emphasised that schools should be “a centre of learning, care, and growth – not places of fear”. 

The department urged pupils, parents, teachers and community members to report abuse through official channels or directly to police.

“The department will not tolerate any violation of learners’ rights. Any educator who exploits their position of trust will be removed from the system and subjected to criminal prosecution without hesitation,” it said.

The allegations come against a backdrop of mounting national concern.

The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) said it received 114 cases of sexual misconduct in schools in the past year, with 39 teachers found guilty. ELRC spokesperson Bernice Loxton urged the government to act firmly.

Other recent cases include the suspension of a principal and three teachers at Tiyelelani Secondary School in Soshanguve in September 2025, and allegations in the Northern Cape where pupils at Bothithong High School were allegedly given stipends by teachers in exchange for unprotected sex. 

Equal Education and other groups also expressed outrage, saying the incidents reflect a wider pattern.

Sexual violence in schools has been described by UNICEF and advocacy groups as systemic. A seven-year-old girl’s alleged sexual abuse at Bergville College in the Eastern Cape earlier this year sparked nationwide protests.

Union voices echoed the call for accountability.

“We don’t support such behaviour. Let those allegations be investigated and the law should take its course. This act is an illegal, criminal act and unprofessional. We are a union representing teachers, we don’t condone such,” said South African Democratic Teachers Union spokesperson, Nomusa Cembi.

Data from the South African Council for Educators (SACE) showed 111 cases of sexual abuse referred in 2024/25, up from 82 the previous year. KwaZulu-Natal led with 25 cases, followed by Eastern Cape and Free State reporting 12 cases, respectively.

Childline CEO Dumisile Cele called for guilty teachers to be placed on the Child Protection Register.

“Teachers found guilty of such atrocities should have their names added to the Register within the Children’s Act,” said Cele. 

Education officials have said measures are in place to tackle the scourge.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier’s office reported seven sexual assault cases in 2024/25, down from 15 the year before, with six teachers dismissed and one suspended without pay.

National crime statistics reflect the wider challenge. SAPS recorded 80 rapes at educational institutions between January and March 2025, with 54 victims being learners. Overall, 13,452 sexual offences were reported nationally during the period.

KZN education spokesperson Mlungisi Mtshali said the province treats such cases with urgency.

“That’s why we must not make a mistake in this issue. When we charge the perpetrator, we must have all the information at hand. We can only suspend educators for three months while we investigate the matter,” he said.

He added that the department has a dedicated unit, including external investigators and social workers, to handle complaints.

“We are ensuring the school environment is enabling, supportive and offers a safe space for learners, educators and school staff,” Mtshali said.

INSIDE EDUCATION