A landmark global report has warned that the world’s biodiversity crisis may be far more severe than previously understood, with nearly 30,000 plant species and more than 400 fungal species now threatened with extinction — while thousands more may disappear before they are even known to science.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2026 report, released on Tuesday, includes the expertise of University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Professor Benny Bytebier, curator of the Bews Herbarium in Pietermaritzburg, which holds more than 250,000 plant specimens.

The report, compiled with input from more than 400 scientists across 40 countries, found that 29,748 plant species and 411 fungal species are currently threatened with extinction, despite only 18% of known plant species and just 0.6% of fungi having been assessed.

It warns that the world still does not fully understand the scale of the crisis facing plants and fungi, which underpin life on Earth by regulating climate, storing carbon and providing food and medicines.

Without reliable data on what species exist, where they occur and how they are being affected by climate change, the report says conservation efforts may overlook the most vulnerable species, while opportunities for new medicines and sustainable future crops may be lost.

The report says rapid advances in artificial intelligence, digitisation and global data-sharing are transforming conservation by allowing researchers to analyse preserved plant and fungal specimens at unprecedented scale.

For centuries, pressed, dried and labelled plants and fungi collected by scientists around the world have been inaccessible to most researchers. Digitisation is now allowing scientists to compare material remotely, correct misidentified species and uncover previously hidden biodiversity.

But major gaps remain. Fewer than 16% of the world’s herbarium specimens have been imaged and made digitally available, leaving significant blind spots in global biodiversity knowledge.

The report says these gaps are especially pronounced in parts of the Global South, where little-known and under-digitised “silent herbaria” can skew global biodiversity models and climate predictions, leading to conservation decisions based on incomplete or biased information.

This makes the work being done at Bews Herbarium significant. According to the statement, all 250,000 specimens at the herbarium have been imaged, while 25% of their labels have been transcribed and added to a database to make them more accessible to researchers worldwide.

The Bews Herbarium, which is more than a century old, has grown from about 120,000 specimens 15 years ago to more than 250,000 today after incorporating several “orphaned” herbaria from KwaZulu-Natal.

Bytebier has also worked with colleagues from the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Mauritius, Madagascar and Belgium on research into the digitisation of herbarium specimens from an African perspective, with a focus on South Africa and Western Indian Ocean island states.

He said the report was important because it showed how the world was documenting and conserving plant and fungal life.

“This report is very important as it summarises how we are doing with describing, documenting and conserving our plants and fungi at a global scale. I’m happy that the Global North takes notice of our efforts in digitising the rich biodiversity in the Global South, despite the challenges and lack of resources,” Bytebier said.

The report says more than 100,000 plant species and more than two million fungal species remain unknown to science. It also found that more than 4,600 plant species and 7,800 fungal species were named as new to science in 2024 and 2025.

It concludes that improving, connecting and sharing biodiversity data globally is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to strengthen conservation and enable faster action to prevent extinctions.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that youth unemployment had become South Africa’s defining post-apartheid challenge, as the country marked 50 years since the 1976 Soweto uprising.

Speaking at the national Youth Day commemoration at the FNB Stadium precinct in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said South Africa had made significant gains since apartheid, including expanded access to education, higher education funding and public employment programmes.

But he said the central challenge was whether those gains were translating into jobs, skills and dignity for young people.

“The question before us today is not whether young people have the courage to change South Africa. The youth of 1976 answered that question,” Ramaphosa said. “The question before us is whether South Africa is doing enough to create opportunities worthy of their sacrifice.”

Youth Day marks the anniversary of June 16, 1976, when schoolchildren in Soweto marched against apartheid education and the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. Police opened fire on protesters, turning the uprising into one of the defining moments of resistance to white minority rule.

Ramaphosa said the youth of 1976 had fought exclusion from education, while today’s generation faced joblessness, poverty and inequality.

“Theirs was the struggle to enter the classroom. Ours is the struggle to ensure that what begins in the classroom does not end in the unemployment queue.”

Ramaphosa said more than 4.7 million young South Africans were unemployed and that the youth unemployment rate stood at 46 percent.

“Behind every statistic is a young person who wants to work, wants to contribute and wants to build a future,” he said. “We cannot accept this as normal.”

He said young people were also among those most affected by violent crime and theft, describing unemployment and insecurity as threats to South Africa’s prosperity and social stability.

In a speech delivered amid rising public anger over crime, unemployment, poor service delivery and illegal immigration, Ramaphosa warned against blaming foreign nationals for South Africa’s domestic problems.

“Even as we recognise the challenge of illegal immigration – which we are taking decisive action to address – our problems are our own. And which we have a responsibility to fix ourselves,” he said.

He said frustrations in communities were real, but that the roots of the crisis lay elsewhere.

“The roots of these challenges lie primarily in inequality, slow economic growth and weaknesses in service delivery,” Ramaphosa said. “Addressing these challenges requires practical solutions, not the scapegoating of vulnerable people.”

Ramaphosa said government was responding on three fronts: expanding public employment, youth service and workplace experience; reshaping the skills system so qualifications led more directly to work; and opening the productive economy to young people.

He said more than 5.7 million young people were registered on the SA Youth.mobi platform, with more than 2 million gaining access to earning opportunities. He said the Presidential Employment Stimulus had created work and livelihood opportunities for more than 2.5 million unemployed South Africans, of whom 82 percent were young people and 66 percent were women.

He also said the revitalised National Youth Service had placed more than 130,000 young people in paid service opportunities, with an additional 100,000 community service youth employment opportunities currently available.

Ramaphosa said the state would invest R1 trillion in infrastructure over the next three years, including roads, dams, schools, hospitals, clinics, electricity lines, railways and ports.

“This investment will create apprenticeships, artisan development, skills transfer and enterprise development for young people,” he said.

He called on employers to hire young people without demanding experience they had never had the chance to gain.

“The young person in front of you does not lack ability. They lack only the chance to prove it,” Ramaphosa said. “Hire for potential, not only for experience.”

Ramaphosa said government would strengthen support through the Employment Tax Incentive, saying the first job was “the hardest to get and the most important a person ever has.”

He also urged young people to register and vote in the 4 November local government elections, saying they should be central to fixing municipalities, not only as councillors but as “engineers, planners, artisans, water technicians, electricians, data specialists and entrepreneurs”.

He said the best way to honour the generation of 1976 was not through remembrance alone, but through building a country where young people could learn, work, serve, build, create and own.

“Let us honour them not in words alone, but in deeds,” he said. “Where opportunity is not the privilege of a few, but the birthright of all.”

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South Africans gathered at the FNB Premium Parking precinct adjacent to FNB Stadium in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on Tuesday as the country marked 50 years since the 1976 Youth Uprising.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the National Youth Day commemoration, held under the theme “RESET @50 – Our National Commitment to the Future for Freedom Lives in Every Generation”.

The event honoured the courage and sacrifice of the youth of 1976, while reflecting on the challenges still facing young people today, including unemployment, poverty, inequality, access to education, gender-based violence and social exclusion.

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Thirty-two years after South Africa became a democratic state, the futures of millions of young people in the country are shaped to a large degree by uncertainty, exclusion, poverty and discouragement. As one lens on this scene, unemployment in the age group 15-34 borders on 46%.

I am an educational psychologist who has done 35 years of research on the career-life stories of young people growing up in contexts marked by extreme poverty, exclusion, inequality and disadvantage. These hardships shape their career development and views of the ever-changing world of work.

I have encountered many young people who have bottled up and eventually internalised repeated experiences of disenchantment, rejection and “failure”. Some have dropped out of education, lacking support. Others have completed their schooling only to learn that marks and qualifications alone could not open doors to successful futures. In many instances, in their environments, unemployment and unemployability have become normalised.

Yet many show resilience, adaptability and determination to find work and to construct meaningful lives.

In a recent journal article, I described an intervention which involved career counselling for a group of 51 disadvantaged black South Africans, aged around 27. They had experienced poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, and limited access to educational and occupational opportunities. I wanted to assess whether counselling could help them use their resilience as a resource. Could it improve their adaptability? And if so, how?

The results showed positive change for most participants following the programme, though the outcomes were uneven.

Structural barriers to finding work remained formidable. Nevertheless many participants developed a stronger sense of agency, hope, adaptability and future orientation. The intervention appeared to help them tell their career-life stories in new ways, with purpose, self-understanding and a shift towards taking action.

These findings underscore the importance of a counselling approach that helps young people recognise and mobilise their strengths, and convert their most significant developmental challenges into assets that benefit both themselves and their communities.

The intervention

In September 2020, the group of young, unemployed, rural South Africans took part in structured career conversations and reflections guided by researchers and career development practitioners. In a workshop and group discussions, we recorded their career interests, strengths and areas for development. They also thought about how their future careers could transform their early life challenges into something positive and empowering.

They explored fields of study aligned with their individual profiles and aspirations that could help them experience meaning, fulfil a sense of purpose and contribute existential value to their career-lives. To this end, they conducted in-depth analyses of occupations associated with their selected fields.

Participants then received guidance on managing emotions, stress and study techniques.

The aim was to elicit themes about their conscious knowledge about themselves and their subconscious insights.

A recurring theme in their reflections was personal development and motivation. Inspiration to work hard, and overcoming adversity, were part of this theme.

They showed a growing awareness of the attitudes, beliefs and competencies necessary to achieve their career-life goals. Their awareness of the need to be adaptable increased. So did their understanding of employment and economic growth realities. They reported increased confidence in defining and achieving their career and life goals. They developed greater clarity about the meaning they wished to find in their work, the contribution they hoped to make to others through their work, and the deeper existential purpose that gives direction to both their work and their lives.

Career adaptability

The intervention used a method called Career Construction Counselling. This is essentially a way to help people come up with their own advice instead of being told what to do. Through reflecting on their own stories, they think of what steps they can take towards their future working life.

This approach is consistent with findings from our career construction and narrative career counselling research. This suggests that reflecting on and reconstructing personal life stories can enhance self-understanding, agency, career adaptability and future planning. Studies have shown that people who actively engage with their own narratives are often better able to identify meaningful career directions, clarify their self- and career identity, identify appropriate study fields, articulate their mission and vision, and develop strategies for navigating future transitions.

The approach emphasises adaptability, which has four elements:

• concern (do I have a future?)
• control (who is responsible for my future?)
• curiosity (what do I want to achieve in my future?)
• confidence (can I succeed?).

A year after the intervention, the participants reported back.

Their scores for career adaptability had improved somewhat. The area of strongest improvement was their career confidence.

I concluded that narrative-based career construction counselling can strengthen career clarity, adaptability, and self-directed action among severely disadvantaged unemployed youth.

However, lasting change also requires systemic intervention. Not only is career counselling scarce in South African schools; traditional approaches are often culturally mismatched and fail to empower disadvantaged youth.

Resilience

I’ve noticed that people often speak of resilience as if it’s an end point in itself.

I believe resilience may be understood not as the culmination of coping but as a preparatory phase in the movement from passive endurance towards what the psychologist Mark Savickas calls active authorship (“active mastery”). My belief draws on life design (people actively shaping their careers and lives by constructing meaning, adapting to change, and aligning work with personal values and identity) and career construction perspectives.

From this perspective, the crucial shift lies in supporting young people to move beyond “withstanding” adversity towards re-authoring their experiences.

Kobus Maree is Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria. This article was first published by The Conversation.

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South Africa’s commemoration of Youth Day should force the country’s universities to confront how little higher education has changed since the 1976 Soweto uprising, a University of Cape Town academic has said.

The country will on Tuesday mark 50 years since the June 16, 1976 student protests, when young people took to the streets against apartheid education policies, including the enforced use of Afrikaans in schools.

The protests were met with violence in Soweto, Johannesburg, and became a defining moment in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.

Emeritus Professor Alan Cliff, from UCT’s Centre for Higher Education Development, said the anniversary should not only be a moment of remembrance, but also one of reflection on access, representation and transformation in higher education.

“16 June 1976 was a watershed moment in South African politics and life. I was a first-year student at Rhodes University, and we were crowded around the radio listening to news releases from the protests in Soweto. Television had only just launched in this country and coverage was minimal and highly selective,” he said.

“We had to imagine/create from audio coverage what is now taken as routine in video reporting. I remember a huge range of emotions and opinions among my fellow students at the time – from left and right of the political spectrum.

“But I also remember thinking that this was a moment of critique: finally, issues of white hegemony and the right to learn in Mother Tongue and the language of learning and teaching had been the fulcrum around which protests had erupted. School children had taken up the cause – and the iconic, deeply human image of Hector Pieterson being carried from the protests remains imprinted forever.”

Cliff, whose career has spanned decades of work on literacy testing and higher education readiness, said universities had to be honest about the slow pace of change in the sector.

“We have to challenge ourselves to be honest about how relatively unchanged higher education has remained. Global North knowledge systems remain hegemonic and valorised. We have to think about which students and staff are able to see themselves represented in higher education? What systems signals does the sector emit that make it easier or tougher for students to participate/feel represented – this was at least part of the reason for the more recent student protests represented by #RhodesMustFall, for example,” he said.

He said institutions needed to rethink who was taught, how students were taught, and what it meant for students and universities to be “literate”.

As someone focused on access, redress and success in higher education, Cliff said progress had been made in widening access, but deeper questions remained about whether institutions had adapted sufficiently to changing student cohorts.

“The most satisfying part of our journey has been seeing the extent to which higher education access for all students to all institutions has indeed widened. The work on literacies assessment has been deeply satisfying especially in terms of its relationship to academic development and programme provision,” he said.

“It has also been meaningful to work on troubling the notion that literacies development is only about the identification of student support needs, to a much more holistic understanding of literacies work being about curriculum, teaching and learning, and assessment and the responsiveness of higher education institutions to changing student cohorts.”

Cliff said the concept of literacy should extend beyond language, reading and writing, and should include the ways students learn, participate and succeed within institutions shaped by inequality.

“We need to think about what it takes for a student to be higher education ‘ready’ and what it takes for higher education to be ‘ready’ to teach that student,” he said.

“As emeritus, I am in a reflective mode these days: looking back on 30 years of conceptualising notions of literacies and on the work of developing assessments of these. I am working on using social and critical realist lenses to assess the impact of the work through its history; its purposes; how and why it has been perceived and received in particular ways as a function of educational histories and decades (at least) of segregation, inequality and how these legacies remain powerfully difficult to redress.”

He said higher education must rethink its own assumptions about literacy, student potential and institutional readiness.

“How we think about learning potential and ability to be successful has to take account of educational background, educational inequality, how students can learn to be literate in the broadest (socially situated) sense; how higher education itself needs to re-think and critique its own view of literacy and its responsiveness to student diversity and knowledge forms. We need to think about what it takes for a student to be higher education ‘ready’ and what it takes for higher education to be ‘ready’ to teach that student,” Cliff said.

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Kingswood College’s first-team rugby side produced an all-round performance to defeat St Andrew’s College 29-10 in the highly anticipated K-Day derby, securing local bragging rights in one of South Africa’s most celebrated school sporting rivalries.

Playing on St Andrew’s Lower Field in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, on Saturday, heavy rain and a waterlogged surface shaped much of the day’s rugby, forcing teams to abandon expansive play and adapt to difficult conditions.

Kingswood seized control early in the match, scoring three unanswered tries in the opening 20 minutes.

The hosts mounted a spirited second-half comeback with two tries, but Kingswood’s composure and effective game management ensured they held on for victory.

On social media, Kingswood praised the efforts of its players and coaching staff.

“Congratulations to the Kingswood 1st XV and coaches on their KDAY victory against St Andrew’s College on Saturday. The boys played with immense heart to bring home the win 29-10. Thank you to our hosts St Andrew’s College for a great game,” the school posted.

The annual K-Day festival, which this year featured cultural and sporting competitions involving Kingswood College, St Andrew’s College, St Andrew’s Prep and DSG, is one of the highlights of the Eastern Cape schools calendar.

This year’s rugby programme also included fixtures involving Mzansi Rugby Academy and Isibane Selane Rugby Academy, adding to a packed day of schoolboy rugby in Makhanda.

Thousands of pupils, parents, old boys and supporters traditionally converge on the host venue, with the first-team rugby encounter serving as the main attraction.

Saturday’s result represented a significant turnaround from the previous edition of the derby and underlined Kingswood’s growing momentum during the latter stages of the 2026 season.

Coming into the fixture, Kingswood had shown encouraging form with convincing victories over Port Rex Technical High School, Brandwag High School and Westering High School.

St Andrew’s entered K-Day after a narrow 24-21 defeat to Selborne College and faced an uphill battle against a Kingswood outfit that had demonstrated an ability to punish opponents when given space.

St Andrew’s looked to fullback Will Stevens, flyhalf David Chorley and scrumhalf Ethan Hayes to guide the side, while James Badenhorst returned to the No 8 jersey in an effort to strengthen the forward effort.

Kingswood, meanwhile, relied on the leadership of captain Ross Thompson and the contributions of several experienced campaigners, including twins James and Josh Mackenzie, as they sought to secure victory.

The visitors ultimately rose to the occasion, producing a disciplined and energetic display that prevented St Andrew’s from building sustained momentum.

While the home side managed to cross for two second-half tries, they struggled to consistently break down the Kingswood defence or gain control of territory for extended periods.

Kingswood’s 29-point return reflected their ability to convert opportunities into scoreboard pressure, a factor that proved decisive as the match progressed.

The result will be especially satisfying for Kingswood after the disappointment of last year’s encounter, when victory slipped away in the closing moments.

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A new partnership between the China-South Africa Youth Federation (CSAYF) and the Nanjing Research Institute of Hydrology and Water Conservation Automation (NIHWA) is expected to create 1,500 work opportunities for young South Africans in the water sector, according to the federation.

The initiative was announced by CSAYF President Luyanda Jonas following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations in China.

ALSO READ: OPINION| What Higher Education can learn from Netflix, Spotify and Uber

Preparatory work is expected to begin later this year, with full implementation scheduled for 2027.

“This partnership marks a momentous milestone in deepening bilateral relations and driving sustainable growth between South Africa and China,” said Jonas.

The federation stated that the programme will initially benefit young people in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape, with a focus on developing skills and creating work opportunities in critical areas of South Africa’s water sector.

The opportunities will focus on water treatment, water monitoring and data management systems, as well as high-performance computing and artificial intelligence applications for water resource management, according to Jonas.

As part of the partnership, young engineers and water technicians will have the opportunity to undergo specialised training in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.

“We will also be taking young engineers and water technicians to be trained in Nanjing, while working with South African universities and TVET colleges to identify suitable candidates,” Jonas said.

“One of the most important lessons we can learn from China’s development experience is that economic transformation requires vision, education, innovation, discipline and hard work,” Jonas said.

ALSO READ: Youth Day| Santa Shoebox asks SA not to overlook teens

The announcement comes as South Africa continues to grapple with serious water supply challenges.

Communities across the country have experienced recurring water shortages, while municipalities face mounting challenges linked to ageing infrastructure, water leaks, inadequate maintenance and technical capacity shortages.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that many municipal water systems are under severe pressure. In its latest assessments, the department said 107 out of 144 Water Services Authorities scored poor or critical in relation to drinking water or wastewater performance.

The department has also said non-revenue water averages 47% across Water Services Authorities, compared with a benchmark of 25%. Non-revenue water includes water lost through leaks, but can also include illegal connections, unbilled consumption and billed water that is not paid for.

CSAYF said the new partnership aims not only to create work opportunities, but also to strengthen South Africa’s ability to manage and protect its water resources through technology, innovation and skills development.

“Water Resource Management will focus on deploying advanced automated technologies to improve the management, conservation and sustainability of water resources,” said Jonas.

According to the federation, the skills development component will facilitate knowledge transfer, scientific research and specialised technical training, while the innovation and youth empowerment pillar seeks to equip young people with the skills and tools needed to become leaders in emerging industries.

Jonas said South African youth have the potential to become key drivers of industrialisation, entrepreneurship, technological advancement and sustainable development.

“The future of South Africa lies in the hands of its youth. Through knowledge, innovation and determination, they can transform challenges into opportunities and create lasting prosperity for the nation,” he said.

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To the Young People of South Africa,  
On the eve of Youth Day, we honour a generation of young South Africans who changed the course of our history.

Fifty years ago, the youth of 1976 stood up against injustice and demanded the right to learn, to dream and to determine their own future. Their courage helped open the doors of freedom. The responsibility of our generation is to ensure that those doors lead to opportunity.  
 
The youth of South Africa rose up to reject an education system that sought to keep them in servitude and deny them the opportunity to realise their potential. Exactly 50 years later, as young South Africans, you face a different challenge: finding your place in an economy that has for too long kept its doors closed to you.  
 
We know that for many young South Africans, the promise of democracy can feel distant when jobs are scarce, when opportunities seem out of reach and when qualifications do not always lead to employment.

Many of you are working hard, applying for jobs, pursuing training and seeking opportunities, only to face disappointment. We hear these frustrations, and we understand that they are real. 
 
Inclusive economic growth is essential if we are to tackle youth unemployment in a meaningful and lasting way. That is why we are investing in a massive infrastructure programme and undertaking far-reaching reforms to make our economy more competitive.

We have embarked on a second ambitious investment drive, raising R890 billion in new investment pledges in the last year. 
 
However, these efforts will take time to translate into jobs. And even as the economy grows, young people may still find it difficult to participate in that growth. 
 
That is why we have been investing in programmes that give you access to learning and work opportunities, skills, experience and an income. 
 
One of our most successful programmes has been the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, that stimulus has created in excess of 2.5 million work and livelihood opportunities. More than eight in ten of these opportunities have gone to young people, and two-thirds to women. It has enabled the most rapid expansion of public employment in our history. 
 
While these numbers are impressive, what really makes this initiative stand out is the impact that it has on the prospects of those involved and the contribution it makes to the areas in which they work. 
 
Last year, through the Basic Education Employment Initiative, 200,000 unemployed young people provided valuable support to nearly 22,000 schools in remote villages, townships, dense inner cities, special needs classrooms and farm schools.

The programme is giving young people their first foothold in the world of work while strengthening the foundations of learning in the schools that need it most. 
 
The Social Employment Fund, another successful programme, offers part-time work for young people in social development programmes in areas like education, food and agriculture, health care, environmental improvement and safety.

Because it is part-time, participants get regular and predictable income while spending the rest of their time looking for work, exploring business opportunities or improving their skills. 
 
Alongside these public and social employment programmes, the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention is steadily dismantling the barriers that keep young people locked out of the labour market.

Through the SA Youth online platform, more than 5.7 million young people are now able to search for opportunities, overcoming some of the impediments that often hold them back, such as transport and data expenses. To date, the intervention has facilitated access to over 2.3 million earning opportunities. 
 
The revitalised National Youth Service has placed more than 132,000 young people in paid service to their communities. These are young people learning the dignity of work while giving back to the society that raised them. 
 
The Youth Employment Service, which is a business initiative, places young people in quality year-long work experience opportunities in companies across the country.  
 
We are also pioneering smarter ways of spending training funds. The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund pays for training for young people only when they are placed in a real, quality job. It is a model that demands results.  
 
Behind every one of these numbers is a young person whose dignity has been restored, whose confidence has been renewed and whose horizon has broadened.

Although these opportunities are mostly short-term, there are thousands of stories of young people who have used them as a stepping stone towards finding a permanent job, starting a small business or studying towards a new career. 
 
The value of these opportunities can be measured not merely by what young people earn while they’re in the programme, but by what they leave with: skills, experience, self-esteem and a sense of purpose. 
 
Much work remains. The scale of the challenge demands that we sustain and deepen these efforts. Every company, every department, every organisation and every South African who is able to open a door for a young person must do so.  
 
Your country sees your potential and will work with you to ensure that you realise it.  
 
Let us together build a South Africa in which every young person finds their place in an inclusive economy and in a thriving society. 

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Students arrive in higher education with mindsets and habits shaped by the digital platforms they use every day.

Netflix, Spotify and Uber have normalised daily life experiences that feel simple, personalised, immediate and intuitive, and this has raised students’ expectations for seamless, user-centric experiences in other areas.

Higher education should not try to become on-demand entertainment. But it can certainly learn from the discipline behind these platforms. Students may not expect learning to be easy. Still, they increasingly expect the academic journey to be clear, connected and well supported.

A great student experience does not make higher education less rigorous. But it does make the path through that rigour clearer, more visible and better supported — an ideal all higher education institutions should be aiming for.

The simplicity of our ubiquitous modern-day platforms is often misunderstood.

Their ease of use is not accidental. It is the result of thoughtful design, continuous testing, data-informed improvement and rigorous quality assurance. Every recommendation, notification, search function and progress indicator is designed to reduce uncertainty and help users take the next step with confidence.

The role of data and AI in higher education

Netflix and Spotify show how personalisation and curation can make complex content feel manageable. Behind the scenes, data, machine learning and artificial intelligence help these platforms understand patterns, recommend content and create a sense of relevance.

In higher education, the purpose is different. The goal is not to keep students scrolling. The goal is to help them stay engaged, supported and on track. Used responsibly, data and AI can help institutions identify when students may need support, improve communication and guide learners to the right resources at the right time.

This is where the learning Management System (LMS) becomes critical.

Too often, the LMS becomes a digital filing cabinet filled with documents, announcements and links. A thoughtfully designed LMS should do more than store content. It should guide students through the module, showing them what they are learning, why it matters, what they need to do, when assessments are due and where feedback fits into their progress.

It should therefore be a carefully designed learning environment that helps students understand what to do, why it matters and how each step connects to their progress.

Visibility builds trust

Uber shows how visibility reduces uncertainty: users can track their driver, journey time, and expectations. Higher education should do likewise.

Students shouldn’t hunt for registration, fees, rules, assessment dates, feedback timelines, support services or escalation routes. The clearer the journey, the less confusion and anxiety. In higher education, visible registration status, accreditation, academic rules and support pathways signal trust and boost confidence in the institution and the learning journey.

Why this matters in Higher Education

Trust must be earned continuously. Students and parents need assurance that an institution is legitimate, that qualifications are recognised, and that the learning experience is well governed.

Visible, accurate and easy-to-understand signals — including accreditation, registration status, qualification details, academic rules and student support — do more than meet compliance. They form part of the student experience and demonstrate active quality management.

Student experience is quality assurance in action

Student experience is integral to academic quality and outcomes, and it shows in programme design, LMS structure, assessment communication, feedback and support.

The lesson from our most-used apps is that simple-feeling experiences rely on careful design, robust systems and continuous improvement. This matters for today’s students and especially for Generation Alpha, who expect intuitive, responsive, and personalised digital journeys.

The best institutions will not design only for the students they serve today. They will also pay close attention to the behaviours, expectations and support needs of the students who are coming next. Institutions that make quality visible and trust easy to earn will better navigate academic journeys and demonstrate mature governance.

Nadia Landman is Head: Academic Quality Management Systems at The IIE Academic Centre of Excellence.

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The Santa Shoebox Project has urged South Africans to use Youth Day to support teenagers, saying older children are often overlooked despite needing practical help and encouragement ahead of adulthood.

The appeal comes as the organisation marks its 20th anniversary in 2026. It says it has reached more than 1.5 million children over two decades, including tens of thousands of Grade 11 learners who received items to support them ahead of their matric year.

“It’s always heartwarming and inspiring to see firsthand how teenagers’ lives can be changed by a single act of kindness. Our donors have done wonderful things for our Grade 11 learners over the years,” said Santa Shoebox Project CEO Deb Zelezniak.

The organisation said its work with teenagers has shown how small, targeted gifts can have a direct impact on confidence, dignity and school readiness.

“There are many beautiful stories I can tell about how South Africa has shown up for our Santa Shoebox teenage beneficiaries,” said Zelezniak.

“Once, a Grade 11 boy cried tears of joy when he received a shirt and tie so that he could go into his first job interview with dignity and pride. On other occasions, teenagers have received quality hygiene items, books and stationery that really boosted their confidence ahead of their matric year. A group of boys danced around their class when they received rugby balls.”

“Hair and nail accessories, cute toys and PEP Stores vouchers have also brought great joy to our teens — a class even broke out in song to say thank you.”

“Another class told us they loved their gifts so much, they were “speechless”. And one gift that has made a lasting impression on all of us was when shoebox donors from Secunda gave a Grade 11 teen a life-changing voucher for driving lessons!”

The Santa Shoebox Project was founded in 2006. More than 1.35 million Santa Shoeboxes have been distributed to underprivileged and socially vulnerable children since then.

Each traditional or virtual shoebox contains eight specified items, including soap, a washcloth, a toothbrush, toothpaste, educational supplies, clothing, treats and age-appropriate discretionary items selected for each recipient.

Through its SSP Legacy arm, the organisation said it has reached more than 180,000 children by establishing and upgrading early childhood development centres, investing in teacher training and installing reading corners to support cognitive, language and social-emotional development.

Zelezniak said the anniversary year was an opportunity for South Africans to help create more stories of support for teenagers.

“Let’s show up for South Africa’s teens in 2026 and create more beautiful stories to tell. For a teen, a simple gift can open new worlds of possibility. Knowing that people care about you and your future, is a powerful vote of confidence. Together, we can show our teens that we believe in them.”

The organisation said donors can begin preparing boxes now to spread the cost. Corporate pledges open on 1 August and individual pledges open on 1 September.

The Santa Shoebox Project invited South Africans to sign up as volunteers, make a pledge or become brand partners through its website.

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has raised concern over persistent safety challenges in schools, reporting more than 4,600 incidents of violence and over 4,100 cases of vandalism across the province over the past five years.

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile released the figures during a school safety media briefing held at the Gauteng Gambling Board in Bramley, Johannesburg, on Sunday.

The department said Gauteng remains one of the country’s major crime hotspots, with 118,311 crimes recorded in 2026 — accounting for 26% of all crimes nationally.

Research by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention shows a direct link between community crime levels and incidents in schools.

During the same period, nearly 400 cases of sexual misconduct and about 1,400 search-and-seizure incidents involving prohibited items were recorded at schools.

“These numbers are a concern because they indicate that our schools are under threat,” Maile said.

The department said incidents have fluctuated year-on-year, but violence, vandalism, substance-related offences and learner misconduct remain major disruptions to teaching and learning.

Maile said the provincial department is working with the South African Police Service (SAPS) under a 10-point protocol signed in 2025 to strengthen safety measures in schools.

“The protocol allows us to improve reporting, monitoring, searches and seizures, and to ensure we are able to collect and analyse information consistently so that targeted interventions can be implemented where they are needed most,” he said.

He added that school safety challenges reflect broader social conditions affecting communities.

“Crime, violence, substance abuse and social instability continue to affect our communities and increasingly find expression within our school environments. This is why our Thuto Pele campaign, under the theme ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Child’, seeks to mobilise communities to become active partners in protecting our schools and learners,” Maile said.

He stressed that safe schools are essential for effective teaching and learning.

“Learners cannot learn effectively in environments characterised by fear, intimidation and violence. Equally, educators cannot teach optimally in unsafe conditions. Safe schools are therefore not only a security imperative, but an educational imperative,” he said.

Community consultations under the Thuto Pele campaign have highlighted ongoing concerns, including bullying, learner-on-learner violence, substance abuse, theft, vandalism and crime around school premises.

Parents also raised concerns about learner safety on their way to and from school.

The department said school safety efforts also include mental health and psychosocial support.

Through a partnership with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), more than 11,000 learners and over 150 educators took part in mental health awareness and suicide prevention programmes in April 2026.

The Teddy Bear Foundation supported more than 100 schools with trauma and abuse interventions, while the Isibindi Ezikoleni Programme reached over 35,000 learners through awareness campaigns and support services.

A comprehensive environmental analysis by the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance assessed more than 1,300 schools in Gauteng and identified 245 high-risk institutions requiring targeted intervention.

It found that gang violence, bullying, substance abuse, theft, vandalism, sexual harassment and surrounding criminal activity remain key safety threats in schools.

To address these challenges, the department has installed CCTV systems at 606 schools and strengthened partnerships with SAPS, alongside expanded mental health programmes.

Maile said interventions must be guided by evidence and community input.

“We remain committed to ensuring that school safety interventions are informed by evidence, community engagement and the lived experiences of learners, educators and parents,” he said.

He added that school safety goes beyond security.

“It is also a learner development issue, a community development issue and ultimately an educational quality issue.”

The department said it is reviewing its School Safety Strategy, with a revised framework expected later this year.

The updated strategy will focus on prevention, early intervention, improved coordination and technology-driven solutions.

Maile said the safety of learners and educators remains non-negotiable, calling on parents, school governing bodies, faith-based organisations and civil society to play an active role in protecting schools and strengthening safe learning environments.

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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have welcomed a Western Cape High Court ruling declaring the student allowance payment tender involving four service providers unlawful, invalid and unconstitutional.

In a joint statement, the entities said the judgment marked a significant step towards strengthening governance, transparency and accountability in the administration of student financial aid funds.

The court on June 12 ruled that the procurement process which led to service-level agreements between NSFAS and eZaga Holdings, Coinvest Africa, Noracco Corporation and Tenet Technology was unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.

The ruling follows years of controversy over the appointment of fintech companies to distribute NSFAS allowances to students.

In 2023, the NSFAS board moved to terminate its relationship with the service providers after a report by Werkmans Attorneys uncovered irregularities in the awarding of the contracts.

The investigation also highlighted an alleged relationship between former NSFAS chief executive officer Andile Nongogo and two service providers, Coinvest Africa and eZaga Holdings, raising concerns about whether adequate due diligence had been conducted before the contracts were awarded.

According to the judgment, the procurement process was tainted by several irregularities, including improper tender cancellations, irregular drafting and approval of bid documents, non-compliance with mandatory requirements and the absence of key internal controls.

NSFAS and the SIU said the ruling vindicated their efforts to identify and address governance failures within the student funding scheme.

“The judgment not only vindicates our efforts in identifying and addressing significant governance failures but also reinforces our resolve to root out maladministration and safeguard the integrity of public procurement processes,” the statement said.

The court, however, found no evidence that the service providers were complicit in corruption, maladministration or other wrongdoing.

As a result, the companies may submit claims for reasonable expenses and profits incurred while fulfilling their obligations under the now-invalid contracts. Any claims will be independently verified before compensation is paid.

NSFAS said it would engage constructively with the affected companies to implement the compensation process in line with the court order.

The scheme also reassured students, parents and the public that it remains committed to restoring confidence in the administration of student financial aid and ensuring public funds are managed with integrity and accountability.

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A proposal for a private-sector-funded bursary scheme has emerged from Deputy Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe’s engagement with private higher education institutions, just days after she called on the sector to help expand access to tertiary education.

Gondwe met with private higher education providers and industry associations on Monday as part of a sector-wide dialogue aimed at identifying practical solutions to South Africa’s growing demand for post-school education and training.

During the discussions, she urged the sector to play a greater role in widening access and assisting government to address capacity constraints in the public higher education system.

The first phase of the engagements has now concluded with a proposal to establish a bursary fund financed, administered and managed by private higher education institutions.

According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, private institutions currently enrol about 313,000 students—roughly 30% of all higher education enrolments in South Africa—while public universities accommodate about 1.1 million students.

The department said the proposed bursary scheme could provide financial support to students at private institutions and help broaden access to tertiary education at a time of increasing pressure on public resources.

The proposal gives practical effect to issues raised during Monday’s discussions, where Gondwe emphasised the need to move beyond annual conversations on access and identify tangible interventions to create more study opportunities for school-leavers.

“Given the tightening fiscal environment in the public sector, we now have to think outside the box and consider collaborating more closely with the private sector to support students and build meaningful public-private partnerships,” Gondwe said.

She said such partnerships could strengthen skills development and improve employability, while easing pressure on the public higher education system.

Beyond the bursary proposal, the engagements identified several areas for deeper collaboration between government and private providers.

These include investment in infrastructure, the establishment of specialised universities, curriculum innovation aligned to labour market demands, and creating a more enabling environment for responsible private investment in higher education.

The discussions also focused on strengthening public-private partnerships to improve skills development, infrastructure expansion and graduate employability.

Participants included ADvTECH Group, Regent Business School, STADIO, Eduvos, the Da Vinci Institute, Boston City Campus, and private higher education associations.

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The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has warned that the inability of most South African learners to read for meaning by the prescribed age constitutes a violation of their constitutional right to basic education.

The committee was briefed on Friday by the Right to Read Campaign, a coalition of civil society and education organisations advocating for improved literacy outcomes and the right of every child to read with understanding.

“The Right to Read Campaign aims to make early-grade literacy a national priority through legislative reform and the development of binding regulations for the first three grades,” the campaign told the committee.

It said its work focuses on advocacy and communications, legal and education interventions, and community mobilisation, with the goal of developing regulations in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

The campaign’s Right to Read and Write background paper, developed by 19 members of the Section 11 Committee, argues that a core outcome of the right to basic education is that children should be able to read and write with understanding in their home language by the age of 10.

The committee highlighted findings from the Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS), released by the DBE in November 2025, which assessed foundational reading skills among Grade 1 to 4 learners and reading comprehension in Grades 3 and 4.

According to the survey, only about 30% of learners in Grades 1 to 3 are reading at grade level. The committee noted that if 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, as reflected in the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), it follows that most learners have not developed the foundational skills required for reading proficiency.

The survey also revealed stark disparities linked to socio-economic status and language. Grade 3 learners in quintile 5 schools were almost three times more likely to meet grade-level home-language benchmarks than those in quintile 1 schools.

Grade 3 English home-language learners were four times more likely to reach the required benchmark than Sepedi home-language learners, while the Western Cape recorded the highest proportion of learners meeting grade-level standards, followed by KwaZulu-Natal.

The committee further expressed concern about the number of learners who appear to gain little benefit from their first three years of schooling. Overall, 15% of Grade 3 learners were unable to read a single word, rising to 25% among Sepedi- and Xitsonga-speaking learners.

“Learners in quintile 1 schools are four times more likely to be unable to read a single word than learners in quintile 5 schools,” the committee said.

The committee also cited findings from two South African Standardised Assessment System (SASE) reports released in 2024, which found that only 20% of Grade 3 learners perform at or above the expected grade level.

The reports showed that learners taught in English and Afrikaans generally outperform those taught in African languages. More than 40% of Grade 3 learners in Setswana, Sepedi, Xitsonga, isiNdebele, Sesotho and Tshivenda were classified at the “emerging” performance level.

The committee stressed that learners require a minimum package of reading resources, including lesson plans, graded readers, vocabulary posters and other support materials. It described the new Foundation Phase catalogue as a potentially important intervention but noted that implementation remains uneven because provinces are not compelled to procure specific materials and some face budget constraints.

It said evidence from rigorously evaluated literacy interventions in South Africa points to three key success factors: quality teacher training combined with learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), the use of unemployed youth as teaching assistants, and teacher coaching supported by appropriate learning materials.

The committee noted that some interventions could be implemented through existing programmes and funding streams, including teacher development initiatives, LTSM provision and the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI).

It said research papers on the “4Ts” of literacy — time, text, testing and training — are being prepared and will be submitted to the Department of Basic Education through the National Education and Training Council.

The campaign is also convening roundtable discussions with education experts and stakeholders and consulting communities, including parents, religious leaders and young people, to test proposed regulations and build consensus on solutions to the literacy crisis.

The committee said it would continue discussions on how binding regulations could strengthen the implementation of literacy policies and programmes aimed at addressing South Africa’s reading crisis.

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The University of Fort Hare (UFH) has emerged as the top-performing university in the Eastern Cape for research output, outperforming several institutions and ranking among South Africa’s leading research universities.

According to the 2024 Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Research Outputs Sector-Wide Report, released this month, UFH achieved a weighted per capita research output score of 2.39, surpassing the national average of 2.23.

The score places Fort Hare among only 11 universities nationally that performed above the sector benchmark and makes it the highest-ranked university in the Eastern Cape on the key measure of research productivity and postgraduate success.

UFH also outperformed several institutions, including the University of South Africa (Unisa), which recorded a score of 2.34, and Rhodes University, which achieved 2.36.

UFH Director of Research and Innovation Dr Aceme Nyika said the achievement reflects the university’s commitment to conducting research that responds to societal challenges.

“As an institution that is rooted in communities and conducts research which addresses issues that affect communities, excelling in research means that UFH is making a significant contribution to the socioeconomic development of communities in the Eastern Cape,” he said.

Nyika said the ranking demonstrates the progress made by the university despite historical challenges.

“Being the only historically disadvantaged university among the top 11 universities in the country demonstrates that UFH is making strides in transforming itself into a research-focused university against all odds,” he said.

The university attributed its improved performance to a series of interventions introduced after research output declined between 2017 and 2021.

A major turning point came in 2021 when the institution separated its Academic Affairs Division into dedicated Teaching and Learning and Research, Partnerships and Innovation portfolios, allowing for greater focus on research development.

UFH also introduced mentorship programmes for emerging academics, research seed grants and specialised training programmes to strengthen research capacity.

As part of its research strategy, the university identified five key focus areas: renewable energy; agriculture and climate change; infectious diseases and medicinal plants; township economies; and African liberation heritage.

The institution has also intensified efforts to secure research funding from the private sector, national partners and international collaborators.

The impact of these initiatives is evident in the growth of National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers at the university. The number increased from 29 in 2021 to 53 in 2025, representing growth of nearly 83%.

The university also achieved its first-ever B1 NRF rating in 2025 after producing two B2-rated researchers the previous year.

Postgraduate research capacity has expanded significantly. The proportion of permanently employed academics holding doctoral qualifications increased from 47% in 2022 to more than 65% in 2025, strengthening supervision capacity and contributing to higher master’s and doctoral graduation rates.

“The university’s improved postgraduate throughput contributed to its weighted per capita research output, which has now surpassed the national average,” Nyika said.

UFH plans to further strengthen its research and innovation profile through the establishment of a new Research and Innovation Hub, for which funding has already been secured.

The facility is expected to support collaboration between researchers, industry and investors while helping to commercialise innovations developed at the university.

The university said it is also advancing plans to establish a Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, building on its strengths in agricultural and animal science research.

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Sergeant Marline Niemand is part of a new generation of police officers using mounted policing to reach areas where vehicles cannot easily tread.

A SAPS horse rider with the Ekurhuleni Mounted Unit in Gauteng, Niemand carries out crime-prevention duties on horseback, patrolling areas such as mountainous terrain, riverbanks, farms and informal settlements.

Her four-legged colleague, “Bujo”, has become what she considers a loyal best friend, helping her serve communities and fight crime in a unique way.

Niemand joined the police in 2012 at the age of 21 after applying while serving as a volunteer at Springs Police Station.

Now 35, she remains driven by what “an unwavering passion for policing and a determination to expand her knowledge on every aspect of law enforcement”.

Becoming a police officer had always been her dream, although her mother initially had reservations about her chosen career path.

With her father being a police officer and her role model, SAPS said it was “only meant to be” for Niemand to fall in love with the profession.

She was ready to submit her application to join the organisation when she turned 18, but did not have her mother’s blessing at the time. However, Niemand refused to give up on her dream and three years later she was enlisted.

Her love and passion for animals first attracted her to the K9 Unit.

Niemand said she admires horses for their intelligence and enjoys the specialised nature of mounted policing.

Performing crime-prevention duties on horseback is pure joy for her, despite having no horse-riding experience before joining the unit.

She trained for the Basic Mounted Riding and Stable Official courses at the Potchefstroom Mounted Academy, where SAPS also breeds its horses.

“It is said that one policeman on a horse back is equal to 20 policemen on foot,” said Niemand.

In celebration of Youth Month, SAPS said it was highlighting the energy, dedication and leadership of young officers through its national campaign, “SAPS Youth – Leading the Reset Agenda.”

This year’s campaign recognises young men and women in blue who are playing an active role in advancing the SAPS’ vision of professional, ethical and community-focused policing.

In a message to South African youth, Niemand said: “I joined the SAPS because it is my calling, my passion, my childhood dream. I will continue to serve my community with dignity, honour, and pride.”

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Fans across the globe are gearing up for the highly anticipated opening ceremony, a dazzling showcase of music, culture, and football spirit that sets the stage for a month-long celebration of the beautiful game.

South Africa’s own Bafana Bafana will face Mexico in the tournament’s opening clash, carrying the hopes and pride of the nation.

Government has called on citizens to unite behind the team by wearing green or gold on Bafana Fridays and sharing in the excitement of this historic moment.

Stay tuned as the opening ceremony unfolds, a spectacular fusion of tradition and modern energy, marking the start of football’s greatest show.

Tyla is set to sing the South African national anthem during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup.

The South African star will take center stage as part of the official opening ceremony celebrations.

Footage by SuperSport

Footage by Sky News

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Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has warned municipalities against cutting water and electricity to schools over disputed bills, saying service interruptions disrupt learning and place additional pressure on already struggling communities.

Maile’s warning follows complaints from school communities in Emfuleni, where parents, school governing body members and principals accused the municipality of threatening to disconnect schools over disputed municipal accounts, including at schools where they said meters had not been installed.

Speaking during a community engagement at Sebokeng Technical School Hall on Wednesday, Maile said municipalities should engage the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) before taking action.

“I don’t understand why a municipality would find it easy to switch off services at a school and disrupt schooling. We will write to Emfuleni on these matters,” Maile said.

The meeting, attended by parents, school leaders and stakeholders from Sebokeng, Bophelong and surrounding areas, formed part of the province’s It Takes a Village to Raise a Child programme, a two-month initiative aimed at strengthening direct interaction between government, education stakeholders and communities on challenges affecting schools.

Stakeholders at the meeting said some schools were being billed “arbitrarily” and were not receiving adequate explanations for municipal charges. They said threats of disconnection were worsening pressure on schools already grappling with overcrowding, ageing infrastructure and social challenges.

In May, Maile said schools in the province owed municipalities R583.9 million in debt older than 60 days by the end of March 2026, while municipalities had physically cut electricity to at least 36 schools and more than 500 schools had been flagged for some form of billing-related disconnection.

A written response previously tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature showed that 536 schools had experienced some form of billing-related disconnection in 2025, including 293 schools that were without services for at least 30 days and 16 schools that had water, electricity, waste and sewerage services disconnected simultaneously.

Maile said municipalities and the education department needed to work together to resolve billing disputes instead of resorting to service interruptions.  

Community members also raised concerns about school infrastructure and overcrowding, calling for decommissioned schools in the area to be reopened to ease pressure on existing institutions.

Maile said the department was exploring several options to address overcrowding.

“The department [is] also looking at buying former missionary schools and renovating them as a measure of dealing with overcrowding in some parts of Gauteng,” he said.

Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Avril Phali also attended the event and encouraged the department to strengthen school sport programmes as a way of keeping young people away from crime and social ills.

Maile said the province was considering installing cameras in classrooms to help tackle bullying, crime and violence.

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said on Thursday that government will gazette targeted extensions for some pre-2009 qualifications next week, as it moves to phase in a modern occupational qualifications system.

The extensions, expected to be published in the Government Gazette on Monday, form part of transitional arrangements under the Directive on Transitional Arrangements for Pre-2009 Qualifications, which was published on 3 June 2024.

“As government advances the transition towards a modernised occupational qualifications system, our foremost priority is to protect the value of qualifications, uphold public confidence in the skills development system, and ensure that every learner is afforded a fair and meaningful pathway to success and employability,” Manamela said.

“This transition is about far more than the replacement of legacy qualifications. It represents a fundamental step in building a more responsive, relevant and future-focused skills development system aligned with the needs of a rapidly evolving economy.”

He said the transition was one of the most significant reforms in South Africa’s post-school education and training system.

The directive established a policy framework to move South Africa from pre-2009 qualifications towards a modern occupational qualifications system that better reflects workplace requirements, technological advancement and the changing needs of the economy.

Its objectives include ensuring an orderly transition to a modernised qualifications framework, accelerating the development and implementation of occupational qualifications, strengthening the responsiveness and credibility of qualifications, improving alignment between education, training and labour market needs, and reinforcing accountability among SETAs, quality councils and other implementing bodies.

Manamela said substantial progress had been made through collaboration between the DHET, the South African Qualifications Authority, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, SETAs, public institutions, Skills Development Providers and industry stakeholders.

To date, 948 occupational qualifications and part-qualifications have been registered on the National Qualifications Framework.

When the directive was issued, 1,475 pre-2009 qualifications had reached their registration end date.

Following consultation with stakeholders, 630 qualifications were approved for learner enrolment extension, while the remaining qualifications were deregistered because they had no learner enrolment or had been replaced by occupational qualifications.

“All affected qualifications allowed currently enrolled learners sufficient opportunity to complete their studies,” Manamela said.

He said government had assessed qualifications individually and grouped them according to their readiness and impact on learners and the skills development system.

Pre-2009 qualifications that qualify for further transitional support will receive targeted extensions ranging from six to 24 months, depending on sector readiness, learner impact, the availability of replacement qualifications and labour market requirements.

“These are not blanket extensions — each qualification has been assessed on its own merits,” Manamela said.

ALSO READ: Where to watch the big match: Bafana Bafana vs Mexico

The list of qualifications approved for extension will be published in the Government Gazette and on the SAQA website, together with the affected qualifications and their replacement occupational qualifications.

Manamela said learners currently enrolled in affected qualifications may continue their studies within the approved transitional arrangements, while accredited Skills Development Providers should familiarise themselves with the applicable extension periods and teach-out requirements.

The department has also issued separate teach-out arrangements for NATED Report 190-1 programmes because of their continued relevance in the education and training landscape.

“Students currently enrolled in N4 to N6 programmes should therefore continue with their studies as planned and should not be concerned that their qualifications will lose recognition,” Manamela said.

The department is working with SETAs, industry partners and other government departments to facilitate placement opportunities that will allow qualifying students to complete their National N Diplomas.

Manamela said government would grant extensions of up to three years for regulatory unit standards that continue to underpin statutory and industry programmes, to allow regulators and industries time to review programme requirements and transition to replacement occupational skills programmes.

For trades, he said no further extension would be required where occupational qualifications had already been developed and implemented. However, targeted transitional arrangements of about one year may be considered where replacement occupational qualifications have not yet been fully developed or implemented.

The department has appointed a technical task team to oversee and coordinate the transition process.

Manamela said the team would identify and resolve implementation bottlenecks, monitor progress against clear timelines, and coordinate workstreams dealing with communications, legal and regulatory matters, SETA coordination, data management, assessment to certification, quality assurance, TVET rollout, funding norms and monitoring and evaluation.

He said the department, with support from SETAs, facilitates the placement of about 21,000 TVET students in workplaces annually.

The department was also prioritising engagements with public- and private-sector employers to expand work-integrated learning opportunities, while exploring funding mechanisms with SETAs, the National Skills Fund and employers.

“Every qualification that has already been awarded remains valid, recognised and recorded on the National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD),” he said.

He said legacy qualifications had contributed meaningfully to workforce development and economic participation over many years, but the economy had changed and the skills system had to adapt.

“However, these qualifications have favoured the classroom over the workshop. What we are introducing are qualifications that guarantee practical experience and workplace placement,” Manamela said.

ALSO READ: Undercover cops to be deployed along Comrades route

DDG responsible for TVET Colleges, Sam Zungu, said TVET colleges had experienced an oversupply in areas such as Office Administration, Human Resource Management, Public Administration and Marketing, where demand was not matched by the number of students enrolled.

He said these programmes were under review to ensure TVET colleges offer skills that are in demand.

He said after requests from the mining sector, TVET’s would be amplifying drone technology and robotics.

Manamela said the reforms were aimed at building public confidence in the post-school education and training system and making qualifications more responsive to industry needs.

“Our objective is clear: to build a qualifications system that commands public trust, meets the demands of industry, supports economic development and equips South Africans with the skills required to thrive in the jobs of today and the opportunities of the future,” he said.

He said SAQA and the QCTO would continue to monitor implementation, qualification uptake, learner progression and overall system performance beyond the extension period, in collaboration with SETAs, Skills Development Providers, TVET colleges, employers and industry stakeholders.

“Finally, South Africa is moving towards a modern, high-quality occupational qualifications system that responds to the needs of industry, strengthens the competitiveness of our economy and expands opportunities for all. This transition is the beginning of a stronger, more responsive and future-ready skills development system that will serve generations of South Africans to come,” Manamela said.

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South Africa is ready. The wait is finally over as Bafana Bafana return to football’s biggest stage when they take on Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday night, local time. 

Across the country, fan parks, shopping centres and public viewing venues are gearing up for what promises to be a memorable night of football, music and national pride. Whether you want to celebrate with thousands of supporters or enjoy the action with family at home, here are some of the best places to catch the big game.

Mall of Africa, Midrand

One of the biggest public viewing events in Gauteng will take place on the lawns near the food court at Mall of Africa. Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, will join supporters alongside Bafana Bafana legends for an evening filled with football fever.

Fans can look forward to live entertainment, featured artist performances, spot prizes and exciting supporter experiences. 

Gates open at 18:00 and entry is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Melrose Arch, Johannesburg

The Piazza and Square at Melrose Arch will transform into a vibrant fan park atmosphere with giant LED screens showing the match live. Supporters are encouraged to arrive early, dress warmly and soak up the electric atmosphere.

With restaurants and entertainment venues surrounding the viewing area, it is expected to be one of Johannesburg’s most popular destinations for the World Cup opener. 

The Pavilion Shopping Centre, Durban

Football fans in KwaZulu-Natal can head to The Pavilion Shopping Centre in Westville. Gates open at 18:00, with live performances from DJ Tira and the Q Twins adding to the excitement before kick-off.

The combination of football, music and family-friendly entertainment promises an unforgettable evening for supporters.

Makhado Crossing, Limpopo

Limpopo supporters can gather at Makhado Crossing for a full day of entertainment. Gates open at 14:00, giving fans plenty of time to enjoy music, food stalls, family activities and competitions before the match begins.

Supporters are encouraged to wear their green and gold colours, with prizes up for grabs throughout the day.

Lemo Green Park, Bloemfontein

Free State football lovers have their own World Cup celebration at Lemo Green Park in Bloemfontein. The venue will host a dedicated fan park experience from 18:00, featuring live match screenings, entertainment and commentary from soccer legends. 

Cape Town Fan Zones

The Mother City is buzzing with World Cup excitement. Popular viewing venues include the V&A Waterfront’s Time Out Market, Mojo Market in Sea Point and several fan-friendly venues across the city. 

Supporters can expect big screens, food, music and an atmosphere worthy of the occasion as Bafana Bafana begin their World Cup journey.

Watching from home

For viewers at home, the match kicks off at 21:00 and will be broadcast live on SABC Sport, SABC 1, and SABC 3, with streaming available on SABC Plus and SABC Sport’s live platform.

Shaaaapaaa Bafana Shaaaapaaa!

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