Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has vowed to tighten controls across the post-school education and training sector after Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations uncovered alleged corruption, procurement failures and misuse of public funds at institutions including TVET colleges.

Manamela said his department would act on SIU recommendations, including changes to procurement processes, governance, financial controls and oversight.

The department would also monitor how institutions respond to findings and referrals arising from the investigations, including criminal, disciplinary and regulatory processes.

“We must not only investigate what went wrong; we must fix the systems that allowed it to happen,” Manamela said.

He was speaking after receiving a briefing from SIU head Leonard Lekgetho and his team on investigations into allegations of corruption, fraud and maladministration across the post-school education and training sector.

The briefing covered investigations involving the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), National Skills Fund, University of Fort Hare, Vaal University of Technology and the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority.

The investigations have exposed a range of problems at TVET colleges, including payments for training that allegedly never took place, incomplete projects, irregular procurement and weak monitoring of service providers.

At Ingwe TVET College in the Eastern Cape, the SIU investigated an R187 million project intended to support the turnaround of the college and artisan development in Lusikisiki and Bizana.

The SIU found that service provider Ada Holdings received R132.98 million from the National Skills Fund but allegedly failed to train learners despite receiving payment.

Investigators also found that training facilities were not completed according to the required specifications.

More than R105 million was transferred between companies linked to the service provider, including R52.49 million paid to Artisan Development, R45.03 million to Umbani and R7.39 million to PWC Institute.

The SIU said it was investigating the financial transfers to establish why the money was moved between the companies.

Some lecturers involved in the project also told investigators they had not received certificates for training that was allegedly conducted.

The SIU appointed a quantity surveyor to determine the amount spent on the incomplete buildings and indicated that it could approach the Special Tribunal to recover funds.

In another investigation, the SIU examined a National Skills Fund project involving Rubicon Communications, where about R2.7 million was paid for a training programme. Investigators found that no training had taken place.

At Vaal University of Technology, SIU intervention resulted in the cancellation of a security contract, preventing an estimated R109 million in future expenditure.

The investigations have also resulted in recoveries.

According to the department, more than R2 billion in NSFAS-related funds has been recovered from universities and TVET colleges.

The University of Fort Hare investigation resulted in acknowledgements of debt worth about R5.4 million, while an acknowledgement of debt of about R2.7 million, plus interest and costs, was recorded in the Rubicon Communications matter involving the National Skills Fund.

Repayments in the Rubicon matter are under way.

Manamela said the government could not allow wrongdoing in the sector to continue without consequences.

“Where public resources have been misused, there must be consequences. Where wrongdoing is established, those responsible must be held accountable. Where money can be recovered, it must be recovered and redirected to its intended purpose,” he said.

He said the impact of losses extended beyond the financial cost.

“Behind every rand lost or misused is an opportunity denied to a student,” Manamela said.

“Every skills-development programme that is funded but not delivered robs a young person and our economy of an opportunity.”

Manamela also warned that wrongdoing involving qualifications could damage the credibility of the education system and devalue legitimate qualifications.

“Any qualification improperly or fraudulently obtained undermines the integrity of our education system and devalues the qualifications of those who have worked hard to earn them,” he said.

The department said it would strengthen its monitoring of SIU matters and hold affected accounting authorities, councils and management structures accountable for implementing recommendations.

Manamela stressed that the SIU must be allowed to conduct its investigations independently, while the rights of people affected by ongoing investigations must be respected.

He said people implicated in ongoing investigations should not be treated as having been found guilty before the relevant processes had been completed.

The department said it would continue working with the SIU, law-enforcement agencies and other authorities to pursue corruption cases and implement reforms across the sector.

“Our ultimate objective is to build a PSET system in which public resources are protected, institutions are properly governed, qualifications retain their integrity and students can have confidence that the system is working in their interests,” Manamela said.

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The Gauteng Department of Health has selected 18 young people from disadvantaged communities across the province to study medicine in Cuba through the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) Medical Training Programme.

The latest cohort, comprising 10 males and eight females, was selected from 2,480 applicants following a competitive recruitment process launched in May 2025.

Among those selected is 20-year-old Zezethu Swelindawo from Cosmo City in Johannesburg, who described the opportunity as a life-changing step towards her dream of becoming a doctor.

The candidates were selected from all five Gauteng districts — Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng and the West Rand.

Of the 2,480 applications received, 740 candidates met the qualifying criteria and progressed to the next stage. A further 91 were shortlisted based on their academic performance, socio-economic circumstances and potential contribution to the healthcare sector.

The shortlisted candidates came from households with an annual income of R350,000 or less, with preference given to learners from Quintile 1 to 3 schools.

The final selection followed an assessment process that included home visits, interviews and background evaluations.

The department said academic performance was not the only consideration, with candidates also assessed on their commitment to serving their communities and improving healthcare outcomes in South Africa.

The successful candidates will undertake medical studies in Cuba before returning to South Africa for clinical integration at local universities.

They are expected to join the public healthcare system and contribute to improving access to healthcare, particularly in underserved communities where shortages of medical professionals remain a challenge.

The NMFC programme was established through an agreement between former South African president Nelson Mandela and former Cuban president Fidel Castro to help address the shortage of doctors in South Africa, particularly in rural, underserved and previously disadvantaged communities.

The Cuban medical training model places strong emphasis on primary healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion, which the department said aligns with South Africa’s healthcare priorities.

The Gauteng Department of Health said the programme was helping build a pipeline of medical professionals to strengthen primary healthcare and improve service delivery.

To date, 463 Gauteng students have graduated through the programme and are employed at public healthcare facilities across the province.

The department said the graduates were contributing to patient care and service delivery, while the latest cohort would continue the programme’s focus on addressing socio-economic barriers to medical education and the unequal distribution of healthcare professionals.

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The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in North West has called for urgent action to address learner indiscipline and improve educator safety following an incident in which a learner allegedly insulted and verbally abused a teacher at Batlapaneng Secondary School in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has renewed concerns about what the union described as escalating learner indiscipline, including verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and physical attacks against educators.

SADTU North West said it was deeply concerned by the incident and warned that teachers could not be expected to work effectively in environments where their safety and dignity were compromised.

“An educator cannot be expected to perform their professional responsibilities effectively while being subjected to threats, insults, intimidation or violence,” the union said.

It said educator safety was a fundamental condition for quality teaching and learning and called for decisive action against serious learner misconduct.

“Violence against educators must never be normalised or treated as merely a disciplinary matter,” SADTU said, adding that law enforcement should be involved where conduct amounted to a criminal offence.

The union called on the North West Department of Education and the provincial education MEC to strengthen school safety and learner-discipline measures, including the implementation of clear consequences for serious misconduct.

It also called for immediate intervention when educators are threatened, intimidated or physically attacked, as well as greater support for principals and School Governing Bodies dealing with serious disciplinary cases.

SADTU said schools, parents, the department, the South African Police Service and other stakeholders needed to work more closely to address safety and discipline challenges.

It further called for appropriate psychosocial and professional support for educators who experience violence or trauma in the workplace.

The union wants the department to regularly monitor schools where serious disciplinary and safety problems have been identified.

It also raised concerns about parental responsibility, saying parents and guardians should support reasonable disciplinary measures and should not threaten or intimidate educators.

SADTU called for a comprehensive review of measures to prevent weapons, drugs and other dangerous substances from entering school premises.

The union stressed, however, that stronger discipline should not come at the expense of learners’ rights.

“SADTU does not advocate for the violation of learners’ rights. Learners have rights, but rights come with responsibilities,” it said.

“The protection of learners cannot be interpreted in a manner that leaves educators exposed to abuse, intimidation or violence.”

The union said a balanced approach was needed to protect learners, educators, principals and support staff.

SADTU also linked learner indiscipline to broader challenges in the education system, including overcrowding, social problems, substance abuse, inadequate psychosocial services and mounting pressure on educators.

It said these challenges could not be addressed by teachers alone and required a broader societal response.

Parents, it said, had an important role in reinforcing respect, responsibility and acceptable behaviour among learners.

At the same time, SADTU said educators must uphold professional standards and exercise their authority responsibly.

The union said it remained committed to protecting educators while advocating for a public education system that was safe, disciplined and conducive to teaching and learning.

“Teaching cannot be an attractive and respected profession when educators are expected to work in unsafe environments,” SADTU said.

“An attack on an educator is not only an attack on an individual, it is an attack on the teaching profession and the right of every learner to quality education.”

SADTU North West called on the provincial Department of Education to move beyond statements of concern and implement concrete measures to address learner indiscipline and school safety.

“The time has come to move beyond statements of concern towards concrete interventions that restore discipline, protect educators and reclaim schools as safe spaces for teaching and learning,” the union said.

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More than 40,000 students at 76 higher education institutions were improperly funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), at a cost of approximately R5.1 billion, with more than R2 billion recovered so far, Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka said on Tuesday.

The figures form part of an investigation by the Public Protector into systemic maladministration at NSFAS, which found that failures in the student financial aid system went beyond administrative shortcomings and caused direct and foreseeable harm to students.

Gcaleka made the findings while briefing the media in Pretoria on the progress of her systemic investigation into alleged maladministration at NSFAS.

She said information presented by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts was among the developments that raised concerns about NSFAS and contributed to the investigation.

The investigation found that allegations of systemic deficiencies in the administration, governance, funding, coordination and oversight of student financial aid were substantiated.

Gcaleka said students had experienced recurring delays in funding decisions, appeal outcomes and allowance payments, with the consequences extending beyond inconvenience.

“These delays caused direct and foreseeable prejudice, including food insecurity, accommodation instability and exposure to unsafe living conditions,” she said.

The investigation found that the problems affecting students were not isolated incidents but reflected recurring failures across the higher education sector.

The Public Protector said the investigation began after complaints against NSFAS concerning administrative deficiencies affecting students’ access to financial aid and, consequently, higher education.

However, as the investigation progressed, the office identified broader systemic challenges, including inadequate access to tuition funding, inefficiencies in existing funding mechanisms, delays in allowance payments and problems with the administration of funding criteria.

“The recurrence and consistency of these concerns strongly suggested the existence of systemic rather than isolated administrative deficiencies,” Gcaleka said.

The investigation also found persistent instability at NSFAS, which the Public Protector said had weakened the entity’s ability to fulfil its statutory mandate effectively.

The office pointed to leadership and governance disruptions dating back several years, including the suspension and termination of former CEO Andile Nongogo in 2023, the dissolution of the NSFAS board in 2024 and renewed governance difficulties after a new board was appointed in 2025.

NSFAS has also been placed under administration three times in the past eight years — in 2018, 2024 and 2026.

The Public Protector said independent reviews, including a 2021 Ministerial Committee of Inquiry, had found that NSFAS had operated in a “near-permanent state of crisis”.

Gcaleka said the instability had contributed to repeated failures in the administration of student funding.

“The evidence gathered depicts NSFAS as an institution affected by persistent governance instability, administrative weakness and inadequate systems,” she said.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela welcomed the Public Protector’s report, saying its findings were consistent with longstanding concerns about NSFAS.

“The issues identified in the report are not new. They are among the longstanding governance, administrative and operational challenges at NSFAS that have been a matter of concern to the Minister,” Manamela said.

He said these challenges had contributed to his decision to place NSFAS under administration.

The investigation found that students continued to face delays in funding confirmations, allowance payments and appeals.

The Public Protector also raised concerns about NSFAS’s ability to assist students when they sought help.

NSFAS reported that it was unable to resolve 80% of queries received through its contact centre without escalating them to internal units.

The Public Protector found that the entity’s limited accessibility and ineffective query-resolution arrangements undermined students’ ability to obtain assistance on matters directly affecting their access to higher education.

Gcaleka said NSFAS’s limited accessibility had affected its ability to provide students with effective assistance.

“The inability to establish accessible and responsive administrative mechanisms capable of providing students with effective assistance in relation to matters that directly affect their constitutional right to further education, is in conflict with section 195(1)(e) and (g) of the Constitution,” she said.

The investigation further found that delays in eligibility verification were linked to NSFAS’s reliance on third-party data sources and weak interfaces with institutions and state entities such as Home Affairs, SASSA and SARS.

These weaknesses contributed to delays in funding determinations and resolving eligibility disputes.

Mid-year defunding and funding reversals were also found to have caused serious disruption to students who had already enrolled and started their studies.

The Public Protector said such decisions exposed students to severe financial, academic and personal prejudice, particularly where funding was withdrawn after the academic year had begun.

The investigation found that NSFAS needed to address eligibility verification delays and ensure that students received timely decisions, adequate notice and an opportunity to respond before adverse funding decisions were implemented.

Appeal backlogs added to the problem, with students left unable to secure support while waiting for their cases to be resolved.

The investigation also criticised the pace at which government had implemented recommendations contained in the 2022 Ministerial Task Team report on student funding.

The Public Protector found that three years after the report was tabled before Cabinet, limited progress had been made in converting its recommendations into an operational and coherent funding reform programme.

“Three years after the report was tabled to Cabinet, the evidence indicates limited progress in converting the recommendations into an operational and coherent funding reform programme,” Gcaleka said.

The so-called “missing middle” was among the unresolved issues.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) reported that NSFAS had been capitalised with R3 billion over a three-year cycle from 2024 to 2027 to support students in this category.

However, despite receiving 43,261 applications from students eligible for the funding, NSFAS could not roll it out because it needed to procure a new loan system.

The Public Protector also found that recommendations on funding postgraduate studies had not been implemented.

Gcaleka said the collective conduct of NSFAS and DHET impaired the practical realisation of the constitutional right to further education and constituted maladministration.

Manamela said the findings were consistent with concerns raised in a report he received earlier this month from NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula, which identified a range of challenges requiring urgent intervention.

He said his concerns about NSFAS had also intensified after a March meeting with the Auditor-General of South Africa over the scheme’s financial management and governance.

The Auditor-General had issued NSFAS with a disclaimer of opinion, with Manamela saying its accounting records and supporting evidence were so inadequate that the AGSA could not determine whether the financial statements were reliable.

“Measures to remedy the situation will continue to be explored,” Manamela said.

He said the administration of NSFAS formed part of a broader effort to restore stability, strengthen systems and ensure the scheme could fulfil its mandate.

The investigation is now at the stage where affected and implicated parties have an opportunity to respond to the Public Protector’s notice before the findings and proposed remedial action are finalised.

The parties have 60 calendar days from receipt of the notice to submit written representations, including any records, information or evidence they want the Public Protector to consider.

Gcaleka cautioned that the findings contained in the notice are not yet final and may change after the affected parties have made their representations.

The Public Protector has proposed several remedial measures, including requiring NSFAS to clear appeal backlogs, strengthen financial controls and improve its systems for processing funding decisions.

NSFAS would also be required to identify officials or former officials responsible for governance breaches, maladministration and control failures that caused prejudice to students, with consequence management to follow where warranted.

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has called on businesses to open their workplaces to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students, saying stronger industry partnerships are essential to improving graduates’ employment prospects.

Manamela made the call on Thursday while officially launching TVET Month 2026 at Esayidi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal, where he highlighted work-integrated learning as a key component of efforts to strengthen the country’s skills pipeline.

The launch, held under the theme “TVET: The Inclusive Home of Occupational Excellence, Driving the Skills Revolution”, brought together Grade 9 to 12 learners, TVET students and alumni, government representatives, industry partners and community members.

Manamela said government could not bridge the gap between skills training and employment on its own and urged companies to treat workplaces as places of learning.

“Our focus is to make sure that students spend some time … in the classroom, you spend some time in the workshop, you also spend some time in a workplace,” Manamela said.

He said South Africa could learn from countries with established dual training systems, but these systems worked because industry played an active role in training students.

“We cannot alone as government resolve the connection between skills and training,” he said.

“But all of those countries work because industry opened their doors, and the workplace is also seen as a learning place.”

Manamela called on businesses across sectors to take in students for workplace-based learning.

“If you’re running a farm, get students who are doing agricultural work. If you’re running a hair salon, get a student who’s doing hairdressing and beauty,” he said.

“So we really want to call on you as industry to adopt students and ensure that those students are placed in the workplace.”

The minister said the department was working with organisations such as the Department of Health and private-sector providers to create practical training opportunities for TVET students.

He also pointed to improvements in TVET college infrastructure and the quality of lecturers, saying students needed exposure to modern equipment and real-world industry practices.

“We have improved the infrastructure in our TVET colleges. We have the machinery that any child in many of our TVET colleges, any child anywhere in the world, be it in the continent,” Manamela said.

He said lecturers were increasingly being exposed to industry to ensure that training was informed by practical experience.

“There’s now emphasis on the fact that our lecturers need to have exposure to industry so that they don’t teach people mechanical engineering when they themselves have not seen the engine of a car,” he said.

Manamela said government was seeking to position TVET colleges as institutions of choice for young people considering further education, employment and entrepreneurship.

He encouraged learners to visit TVET campuses, speak to lecturers and students, and see the workshops and equipment available before making decisions about their futures.

“Universities are important institutions but TVET colleges are equally important institutions that I want to encourage you to experience,” he said.

The minister also urged Grade 12 learners to apply early for further education and financial aid rather than waiting until they received their matric results.

“It’s August already and I’m sure you have been at work preparing for your matric examination. I want to wish you all the best. But I also want to encourage you to apply now,” Manamela said.

He warned that learners who waited until after receiving their results could find themselves without a place at a university or TVET college, or without funding.

“We’ve seen many instances where students pass their matric with flying colours, get surprised by the number of distinctions that you have accumulated for that year, you get shocked by your success, you haven’t applied for university, you haven’t applied for NSFAS, you haven’t applied to a TVET college for next year,” he said.

“And so I want to encourage you to apply now and secure your space in these institutions now.”

Manamela said TVET colleges also provided opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship, pointing to Esayidi’s Maker’s Space as an example of initiatives encouraging students to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

He said many students could study at TVET colleges without paying tuition fees through funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Sector Education and Training Authorities, colleges and other state entities.

“Most students who are studying at our TVET colleges are studying for free,” he said.

He added that students pursuing occupational trades could also receive stipends while undergoing their training.

Manamela said TVET graduates had strong employment prospects, particularly after completing work-integrated learning.

“A good proportion of TVET college graduates get employment almost immediately after completing, especially their work-integrated learning,” he said.

Manamela said TVET colleges offered learners an opportunity to combine classroom theory, practical training and workplace experience.

“We don’t only show you the picture of a car and tell you how it was made. We also allow you into the workshop to touch and feel the gearbox, to touch and feel whatever else that’s in the car,” he said.

He acknowledged that the TVET system still faced challenges but said its record of producing artisans and other skilled workers showed that it remained an important part of South Africa’s education and training system.

“It’s not yet a system that is perfect. It’s not a system that we want it to be where it should be,” he said.

“But if it’s a system that has produced the many artisans who’ve been absorbed into industry, it therefore means that it is a system which you can rely on.”

The department said TVET Month would include activities aimed at exposing school learners to TVET colleges, their programmes, workshops, lecturers, students and industry opportunities.

South Africa has 50 TVET colleges and more than 350 campuses across the country, offering training in fields including engineering, agriculture, ICT, plumbing, electrical work and other occupational programmes.

Manamela said the month-long campaign was intended to strengthen the profile of TVET colleges and encourage young people to consider them alongside universities when planning their futures.

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Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has warned that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is facing an estimated R15 billion funding shortfall, saying the growing gap threatens the sustainability of South Africa’s fee-free higher education policy.

Briefing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on Wednesday on progress in stabilising NSFAS under administration, Manamela said the shortfall had grown from about R2.5 billion in 2018 to R13.5 billion last year and was now estimated at about R15 billion.

“The most significant and I think unresolved issue remains the financial position at the NSFAS,” Manamela said.

He said the funding crisis was largely driven by growing demand for higher education, while the NSFAS allocation was effectively fixed through the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and did not automatically increase with the number of students qualifying for funding.

“We have a policy to provide free education on the one hand. On the other hand, we have an allocation that is almost set in stone in the medium-term expenditure framework and in the budget for a cycle,” he said.

Manamela said the number of learners progressing from Grade 12 into higher education was increasing, putting further pressure on the student funding system.

He said government needed to confront whether it was prepared to provide the resources required to sustain fee-free higher education.

“We have made a commitment to South Africans that we will provide fee-free higher education, and we have to go and find the money,” he said.

“And if we don’t have that money from the national fiscus or from wherever, we need to rethink our approach towards a fee-free higher education.”

Manamela said the issue could not be treated as a problem belonging only to NSFAS or the Higher Education Department, but required a broader government response.

He said government was already discussing the matter with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, while policy proposals were also being developed.

The minister also raised concerns about the current state of NSFAS, which has been under administration since May.

He said the administrator’s initial stabilisation plan had correctly identified systemic weaknesses, including governance, financial controls, data, information and communications technology, audit remediation, accommodation, appeals and stakeholder confidence.

However, Manamela cautioned that the plan should not itself be regarded as evidence that NSFAS had been stabilised.

“Our preliminary assessment as the department is that the plan remains stronger at the level of strategic commitment than at implementation level,” he said.

He said the plan required clearer baselines, costed interventions and measurable milestones, as well as a clear framework for determining when the administrator would be able to exit.

“The test is whether NSFAS is measurably moving from instability towards reliable performance,” Manamela said.

The minister said the administrator had inherited serious structural weaknesses, including unreliable data systems, problems reconciling billing and registration records, accommodation payment challenges and defects in the appeals system.

He said historical reconciliation failures had also affected students’ ability in some cases to clear their accounts, obtain certificates and progress with further studies or employment.

Manamela identified student accommodation as the biggest immediate challenge facing NSFAS.

He said tens of thousands of students were currently recorded as being in non-accredited accommodation and stressed that students should not be punished for structural shortages.

“It is important that we send the message that students should not be penalised or punished for structural shortages,” he said.

“Temporary exceptions cannot become a permanent substitute for minimum safety, for quality and financial control standards.”

He said NSFAS needed a reliable accreditation and deviation database, stronger verification and payment controls, and systems to ensure legitimate accommodation providers were paid on time while students were protected from eviction caused by administrative failures.

Manamela also highlighted the so-called “missing middle” funding gap, saying NSFAS had received about 53,000 applications under the loan scheme, but only about 3,000 had been assessed as eligible.

He said the issue formed part of the longer-term discussion about stabilising student funding.

The minister also addressed concerns about the remuneration of the administrator and the appointment or contracting of people supporting the administration.

He said the administrator was appointed with effect from 4 May under sections 17A to 17D of the NSFAS Act, with the appointment published in the Government Gazette.

However, determining the administrator’s remuneration required concurrence from the Finance Minister, a process Manamela acknowledged had taken longer than it should have.

“The Department and I are engaging with the Minister of Finance urgently to ensure that this matter is finalised,” he said.

Manamela said he had also requested a complete account of the people appointed or contracted to support the administrator, including documentation relating to remuneration, contracts and the legal basis for the appointments.

“Everything that happens at the NSFAS has to happen within the law,” he said.

He said the department remained supportive of the administrator but would ensure that the processes followed in appointing the supporting team complied with the law.

With the next funding cycle approaching, Manamela said NSFAS’s readiness for 2027 would need to be measured against clear milestones covering applications, systems, funding policy, appeals and accommodation planning.

“2027 readiness must also be tested against hard milestones, applications and systems,” he said.

The minister said the administration should ultimately result in the rebuilding and redesign of NSFAS so that it no longer required repeated interventions.

“Administration cannot become NSFAS’s permanent governance model,” he said.

“The purpose of this intervention must be to rebuild an institution that no longer requires an intervention during crisis and therefore an administrator.”

Manamela said the department, NSFAS administration and Parliament should judge the progress of the intervention against that standard.

“Where mistakes have been made, I think they should and must be corrected. And where allegations require investigations, appropriate processes have to follow,” he said.

“The overriding obligation remains unchanged to build an NSFAS that performs its mandate reliably, lawfully, sustainably for the students of this country.”

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Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has handed over a new decentralised water supply system at Lukhanyo Secondary School in Mohlakeng, Rand West City, aimed at addressing persistent water interruptions affecting the school and surrounding community.

Majodina, accompanied by Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, Gauteng MECs, local government leaders and Rand Water officials, officially handed over the system on Monday.

The intervention forms part of government efforts to strengthen water security and ensure learners and staff have access to a safe and conducive learning environment.

Lukhanyo Secondary School, which has about 1,544 learners, has experienced persistent interruptions to its municipal water supply. The unreliable supply affected ablution facilities, contributed to unhygienic conditions and disrupted teaching and learning.

Implemented through the Rand Water Foundation, the new system includes a borehole drilled to a depth of 55 metres, with a yield of about 6,500 litres an hour, two 5,000-litre storage tanks and water filtration units.

Two communal taps have also been installed, with one serving the surrounding community and the other the school.

The handover formed part of a wider ministerial programme in Rand West City, where Majodina and Mahlobo also handed over 150 completed low-flush household sanitation systems in the Zenzele and OR Tambo townships.

The government said the intervention was aimed at addressing sanitation shortages and providing immediate relief to communities lacking adequate sanitation services.

“Today marks more than the hand-over of infrastructure. It is a demonstration of government working together to restore dignity, improve lives and bring essential services closer to communities,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said.

In a statement on X, Rand Water said Rand West City continued to face sanitation and drainage challenges, including overflowing sewage, blocked street drains and poorly maintained waste infrastructure.

It said most informal settlements in the municipality were served by ventilated improved pit (VIP) toilets, highlighting the need to expand access to improved sanitation.

The latest handover brings to 430 the total number of low-flush sanitation systems constructed and installed by the Rand Water Foundation in Rand West City since the 2023/24 financial year.

Of these, 80 were installed in 2023/24, 200 in 2024/25 and 150 in 2025/26.

The programme has benefited about 300 women-headed households over the past three years, while creating 200 temporary employment opportunities and supporting four local small, medium and micro enterprises.

The ministerial delegation also inspected household water-storage and supply systems installed through the Rand Water Foundation programme in the Zenzele community.

The department said the intervention demonstrated the importance of cooperation between national, provincial and local government in addressing service-delivery challenges.

Majodina and Mahlobo also handed over a further 100 completed low-flush household sanitation systems in Mimosa Township in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.

The systems are expected to benefit about 500 residents.

The government said the projects formed part of its broader efforts to bring essential services closer to communities, strengthen water security and improve living conditions in areas facing persistent basic service-delivery challenges.

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Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has warned municipalities that schools disconnected over unpaid electricity bills must be reconnected immediately or the provincial government will consider legal action.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday following the conclusion of the Gauteng government’s “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” outreach programme, Maile described the disconnection of schools as “reckless” and “irresponsible”, saying municipalities should not treat schools as easy targets for revenue collection.

“We are warning the municipalities for the last time today, whatever school that is disconnected must be connected immediately,” Maile said.

“If they don’t do that, we are going to explore our legal options because you can’t disconnect schools.”

Maile said the department provides schools with funding to pay for water and electricity, but acknowledged that the money available to individual schools is limited.

He said the department was considering centralising the payment function and taking it back from schools, while also exploring a public-private partnership model and the possibility of taking schools off the electricity grid.

The MEC said some schools had complained about being overcharged by municipalities, while others had struggled to obtain electricity meters.

“The department doesn’t have the money. The money that is there is with the schools. And even that money with the schools is limited,” he said.

The issue forms part of a broader crisis around municipal services affecting schools.

The province’s post-consultative report found that communities repeatedly raised concerns about unreliable water supplies, electricity interruptions, poor roads, illegal dumping and other municipal failures affecting learning environments.

School safety

School safety also emerged as a major concern during the briefing, with Maile revealing that the department is reviewing its seven-pillar school safety strategy while intensifying search-and-seizure operations.

The department said it had already conducted raids, including at Badirile Secondary School in Carletonville and schools in Orange Farm.

Maile said the operations would continue through both announced and unannounced raids as the province attempts to curb weapons, drugs, crime and violence in schools.

“We are very concerned about crime and violence in schools,” he said.

The department said it is spending R165 million on the deployment of school patrollers and is working with the Department of Community Safety on traffic wardens, while relying on the South African Police Service to respond to criminal activity.

But Maile said the education department could not afford to divert money from teaching and learning to fund extensive security deployments.

“We’ve got schools that are not having desks, that are not having chairs. Shortages of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM), shortages of educators. Whatever money we have, we have to prioritise those,” he said.

The province’s outreach findings reinforced the seriousness of the problem, with communities consistently raising concerns about crime, violence, bullying, gangsterism, substance abuse, vandalism, weapons and gender-based violence.

Gauteng is also considering a technology-driven overhaul of school security.

About 600 schools have already had cameras installed, but the department wants surveillance cameras eventually installed in all schools.

The long-term plan includes biometric or facial-recognition access for learners and educators, cameras covering classrooms and school perimeters, tighter access control and armed-response systems linked to police stations.

Maile pointed to an incident in Alexandra in which criminals allegedly entered a school despite the presence of an unarmed guard as evidence of weaknesses in the current system.

He said the department was considering implementing the measures through a public-private partnership model.

“These are big ideas that we’re working on, but these are the issues which will require money,” Maile said.

The province’s broader school-safety strategy is based on the understanding that security cannot be addressed by schools alone.

Its post-consultative report calls for stronger partnerships between schools, SAPS, municipalities, parents, communities and other stakeholders.

R27bn infrastructure backlog

While security remains an immediate concern, Maile said the province’s biggest challenge is the scale of its infrastructure needs.

The department estimates that R27 billion is required to address occupational health and safety concerns across its school buildings.

Another R35 billion is needed to build 200 additional schools.

“We need R27 billion to deal with occupational health and safety. We need R35 billion to build more schools. So, we need money, and that’s the problem,” Maile said.

The MEC said the department was prioritising schools facing emergencies, particularly those that are no longer habitable, while searching for alternative ways of raising funding.

The infrastructure pressure is compounded by shortages of desks and chairs, with Maile warning that learners in some schools are even fighting over limited furniture.

He said schools receive funding for maintenance, with about 12% allocated towards infrastructure maintenance.

The provincial outreach programme similarly identified overcrowding, classroom shortages, delayed maintenance and deteriorating infrastructure as recurring concerns across communities.

Gauteng also faces a major backlog in sports infrastructure.

Responding to concerns about deteriorating sporting facilities at schools, Maile said the province would need R600 million to provide sports facilities at every school.

“We need R600 million to ensure that there is sports facility in every school. R600 million. So, we don’t have it,” he said.

Admissions and overcrowding

The growing pressure on Gauteng’s schools is also reflected in online admissions.

At the time of the briefing, approximately 451,000 applications had already been recorded, including 105,786 Grade 8 applications and 93,864 Grade 1 applications.

Maile said the increasing number of learners would require not only additional schools and furniture, but also more teachers.

But he was unequivocal that overcrowding at a preferred school should never result in a child being left without education.

“If a school you want is full, over-subscribed, it doesn’t mean the child must stay at home,” he said.

“No child must stay at home. Every child must be in a school.”

Maile said the department would rather place a learner in a school further from home and address the resulting pressure on resources than allow that learner to remain outside the education system.

“Every child must be in class. Every child must be in schools,” he said.

The province’s post-consultative report identifies overcrowding and learner placement as major challenges driven partly by Gauteng’s population growth and migration into the province.

To help address the infrastructure backlog, Maile announced that Gauteng would soon launch an “Adopt a School” campaign aimed at mobilising businesses and other partners to assist schools.

He said he had already been approached by potential partners, including an individual prepared to assist about 15 schools in Katlehong.

The campaign will prioritise urgent needs such as ablution facilities, classrooms and damaged ceilings.

Maile said the initiative would allow government to work with partners to tackle infrastructure challenges that the provincial budget cannot address on its own.

Skills and education pathways

Maile also outlined plans to expand a multi-certification programme that could allow learners to obtain practical qualifications while still at school.

He said the department wants learners to have opportunities to obtain certificates in areas such as plumbing, electrical work and swimming alongside their academic studies.

The aim is to move beyond certificates that have little value in the labour market towards accredited qualifications that could provide learners with employment opportunities even if they do not complete matric.

“If that child was not to finish matric, they could still go get work and all that,” Maile said.

The department is also focusing on STEM subjects, including mathematics, science, technology and accounting, while strengthening teaching in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) and foundation phases.

Maile said the province was also expanding opportunities in arts, culture and sport for learners who may not follow traditional academic pathways.

Outreach programme

Launched in May 2026, the “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” programme aimed to create direct engagement between government, communities and education stakeholders.

Between May and July, provincial departments planned 127 engagements and institutional visits and completed 90.

These included 41 community meetings, 25 unannounced school visits and 24 sports hub visits, reaching 11,294 people through direct engagements.

The programme’s educational communication platforms generated more than 10.2 million views and impressions and more than 90,000 direct online interactions.

Maile urged communities to help protect schools from vandalism and criminality, called on parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education, and encouraged businesses to contribute to education and skills development.

He also urged young people to reject violence, drugs and gangsterism.

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The Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) has partnered with the V&A Waterfront on the iconic precinct’s new R24 billion development programme over the next 10 to 15 years.

CETA is the lead partner in a work-based skills and learning programme linked to the V&A Waterfront’s expansion, which will develop an additional 5,500 square metres land over the next decade and a half.

The development is expected to support 120,000 direct and indirect jobs during this period.

Joining CETA in the partnership are the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA), the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&R SETA) and the Services SETA.

Speaking at the launch of the programme at the Cape Town tourist destination, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela praised the partnership, describing the V&A Waterfront development as “more than a construction site”, but rather “a classroom” and training centre where unemployed young people will gain employment while taking pride in “building something for the country”.

Manamela said the partnership underscores the importance of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) as part of government’s skills development drive.

He said the department aims to secure 100 major employers as Work-Integrated Learning partners by the beginning of next year.

CETA administrator Oupa Nkoane said he hopes the initiative will become a template for similar partnerships in future.

He revealed that CETA is expected to announce a comparable partnership with the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) later this month.

Nkoane said learners participating in the programme will spend more than half of their training on site rather than in the classroom, providing them with practical workplace experience.

He added that CETA has allocated R320 million over three years to the V&A Waterfront project alone.

The programme also places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.

W&R SETA chief executive officer Tom Mkhwanazi said the authority was drawn to the partnership because of the V&A Waterfront’s significant retail component as one of the country’s leading shopping destinations.

Learners placed through the programme are expected to benefit from employment and business opportunities in the retail sector once the development is completed.

National Skills Fund (NSF) chief executive officer Melissa Erra said the fund can help scale successful programmes, expanding them from around 100 beneficiaries to significantly larger numbers when replicated through similar partnerships.

She added that the NSF also supports artisans, electricians and other tradespeople who want to become entrepreneurs by helping them acquire tools and providing entrepreneurship training.

Some of the V&A Waterfront upcoming development include a residential development, boutique hotel and a retirement facility.

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Five teachers at Badirile Secondary School in Khutsong are facing disciplinary action for allegedly failing to report for duty, as the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) moves to restore order at the school following reports of violence, gangsterism and serious misconduct.

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile said on Tuesday he had instructed the department’s labour relations unit to institute disciplinary proceedings against the five educators after concerns about their attendance emerged during a South African Police Service (SAPS)-led school search-and-seizure operation.

Maile alleged the educators were habitual absentees, with some reportedly arriving only to sign the attendance register or reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol.

“We’ve been told about five notorious educators who don’t come to school, who don’t teach, who go to taverns during school hours. Before I leave, I’m getting a report from the school attendance register because I’m immediately instructing our labour relations to charge and act against them,” he said.

He added that other teachers at the school had submitted a petition raising concerns about the conduct of the five educators.

The department has placed Badirile Secondary School under close monitoring as it works with police to address violence, bullying, gangsterism and poor discipline.

Maile described the school as being plagued by serious incidents, including learners allegedly threatening teachers with criminals and illegal miners.

“There are kids here who threaten teachers that they will call zama zamas and criminals to murder the educators. We’ve got kids here who are gangsters,” he said.

According to Maile, a murder occurred at the school earlier this year, while a recent complaint circulated on social media highlighted allegations of bullying.

He also raised concerns about learners who were attending the school premises but not classes, including an 18-year-old Grade 9 learner who, he said, came to school primarily to access meals without participating in lessons.

The school is currently without a principal. Maile said he had instructed the district to appoint an acting principal while the recruitment process for a permanent principal is finalised.

“We want to make sure that in the next coming few weeks, there is order here. Apart from crime and violence, bullying and gangsterism, at the centre is ill-discipline,” he said.

The MEC also directed the district director to meet with educators and the school governing body, while a parents’ meeting will be convened as part of efforts to restore discipline.

The operation at Badirile formed part of a broader SAPS-led School Search and Seizure Operation conducted in Khutsong and Orange Farm.

Maile later joined SAPS, the Gauteng Provincial Traffic Police, Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, private security and other law enforcement agencies at Thetha Secondary School and Duzenendlela Special School in Orange Farm.

The operations included searches, learner screening and engagements with school management to identify safety concerns.

Maile said weapons were recovered at Badirile Secondary School, while dagga was found at another school. At a separate school, officials identified a learner who allegedly stole door and window handles from the premises to sell them.

He said the findings underscored that challenges in schools reflected wider societal problems.

“Schools are a microcosm of society. They reflect what is happening in society. If we don’t solve societal problems, they will find expression in our schools,” he said.

Maile rejected calls for the reintroduction of corporal punishment as a response to ill-discipline, saying teachers should instead exercise effective classroom management.

“We cannot replace wrong with wrong. Corporal punishment was wrong, it will remain wrong. Corporal punishment is violence,” he said.

The search-and-seizure operations form part of the province’s ongoing school safety interventions following complaints about violence and crime at schools.

Maile said similar operations would be conducted regularly in partnership with SAPS and other law enforcement agencies.

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South Africa’s education system cannot afford distraction when it comes to one of its most urgent priorities: improving reading outcomes in the Foundation Phase.

The recent release of the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) catalogue is a critical intervention aimed at addressing precisely this challenge.

Yet, instead of constructive engagement, the release of the catalogue may be derailed by allegations of corruption and impropriety.

These misguided claims, amplified by sections of the media, risk distorting public understanding of what is, in fact, a structured and quality-driven reform process.

At the centre of the controversy is a fundamental and consequential error: a misunderstanding of how and why the catalogue is created.

Over a two-year period, following an open call for submissions in 2024, the department oversaw the development and screening of learning materials aligned to evolving evidence on how children learn to read, particularly in African languages, where historically there has been a shortage of high-quality, culturally relevant resources.

Let’s turn to the procurement part driving the media discussion.

The allegations of a “corrupt tender” rest on a false premise.

The government’s procurement of goods or services does not only follow a traditional tender process.

Depending on the model and need, different processes are used, and this is one of those occasions.

The catalogue serves as a procurement process managed through creating a vetted pool of approved materials from which provinces and schools may later select and procure textbooks and readers according to their needs and budgets.

The work done so far means that the DBE has identified approved LTSMs for purchase based on the quality of the books and textbooks, but no specific contract with an amount has been signed or paid.

It is important that this point be cleared. Every reader of this article would agree that LTSM books guiding learners and teachers are a core educational deliverable. We can also agree that we all want the best quality materials in the hands of children. The integrity of the selection process, therefore, becomes critical, and our design is deliberate and robust in addressing this.

The Terms of Reference governing submissions are publicly available and aligned to National Treasury principles, including value for money, fairness, transparency, accountability, and open competition.

The Department issues an invitation for publishers or aspiring publishers, small and big, to indicate their intention to submit materials as per the guidelines. All publishers or aspirant publishers were then given about four months, equally, to develop the materials that they indicated in their “intention to submit”. More importantly, all materials undergo blind screening: manuscripts are anonymised, stripped of logos, branding, and any identifiers that could introduce bias.

This ensures that evaluation is based strictly on content quality and curriculum alignment, not on publisher reputation or market dominance. The evaluation itself is conducted by curriculum and pedagogy experts, primarily provincial subject advisors, whose role is to determine whether materials meet the required educational standards. Only once this quality threshold is met does pricing enter into consideration in line with the principle of value for money.

All this helps as preparatory information for provinces that will later undertake purchasing. This sequencing reinforces the central point: quality first, procurement later. In my experience, this cataloguing process has led to savings of up to 50%, allowing us to buy more books for more learners. Let’s turn to the publishers we choose.

The publishing industry is dominated by a handful of publishers, but textbooks make up 60% of books published and would therefore correctly draw the attention of major and minor players in the field.

While a select few large publishing companies with a national and/or international publishing footprint have dominated the textbook space for more than 15 years since we started developing national catalogues, we have encouraged all kinds of book developers to participate — large and small publishers, independent publishers, NGOs, individuals, academics, and universities.

The DBE’s position has always been about ensuring the best quality, at the best price, regardless of the publisher. Some wild exaggerations claim there are 1,700+ titles in the catalogue. This claim is misleading because it is based on counting individual components such as readers, posters, and teacher guides rather than complete subject packages.

In reality, each submission represents a structured set of materials aligned to specific grades, languages, and pedagogical requirements. Presenting these components as separate “titles” artificially inflates the scale and distorts the public understanding of the catalogue, as purchasing would be by package.

Further, the amount a company will get will be based on school/district/province decisions after bargaining on prices and delivery plan feasibility.

Once the selection is finalised, the delivery plan with milestones and delivery notes is agreed on and implemented between the province and publishers with DBE oversight.

As seen in the last 14 years, delivery has been above 90%. It is a well-oiled process, and I expect nothing less in this round.

I welcome the opportunity to share details on how the LTSM catalogue happens, and as the DG, I welcome all efforts to enhance transparency and scrutinise the process.

Hubert Mathanzima Mweli is the Director-General of the Department of Basic Education.

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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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More than 1.1 million learners in South Africa have experienced some form of violence at school, with 14% reporting physical violence by teachers, according to a report released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) during Child Protection Week.

The report, based on data from the General Household Survey (GHS), highlights the continued prevalence of violence against children in schools despite ongoing efforts to strengthen child protection measures.

Stats SA estimated that 1,156,009 learners had experienced violence at school. Physical violence by teachers was reported by 14% of learners, compared with about 8% who reported physical violence by fellow learners.

The report was released as South Africa marks Child Protection Week, observed from May 29 to June 5 under the theme, “Working Together in Ending Violence Against Children”, aimed at raising awareness of children’s rights and promoting collective action to prevent abuse.

According to the findings, younger children were particularly vulnerable. Learners aged between five and eight years reported the highest levels of violence, with incidents peaking at age seven, when 20.6% reported experiencing violence, and again at age 13, at 19.5%.

Stats SA said the findings pointed to critical periods of vulnerability during early schooling and adolescence.

Data collected between 2009 and 2024 showed that the proportion of learners aged five years and older who experienced corporal punishment declined by 10 percentage points over the period. While the reduction was gradual in earlier years, the most significant decline occurred between 2015 and 2024.

The report also found that peer-perpetrated violence remained a concern. Physical violence by fellow learners was most common among seven-year-olds, with 16.3% reporting such experiences.

The findings suggest that aggressive peer interactions often emerge during the early years of formal schooling.

Verbal abuse was found to be more prevalent among learners than teachers. About 21% of learners identified fellow learners as the source of verbal abuse, compared with 12% who reported verbal abuse by teachers.

The highest incidence of verbal abuse was recorded among seven-year-olds, with 30.1% reporting exposure, underscoring the vulnerability of learners in the early primary school years to bullying and peer aggression.

Gender disparities were also evident. Females accounted for about 63% of reported cases of verbal abuse involving teachers and 58% of physical violence cases perpetrated by teachers.

The report concluded that younger learners, particularly those around the age of seven, face heightened vulnerability to violence at school, while girls are disproportionately affected by teacher-related abuse and verbal violence.

Stats SA said the findings underscore the need to ensure schools remain safe environments that support children’s development, learning and wellbeing.

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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says it has identified thousands of former beneficiaries who are collectively owed about R77 million in refunds arising from overpaid study loans, most of which date back to before 2010.

NSFAS said on Wednesday that it had launched a refund campaign in November 2015, through which approximately R48.4 million was refunded or otherwise resolved.

However, some former debtors could not be reached using the contact details available at the time.

“NSFAS is now making a further attempt to locate and refund eligible former debtors using updated contact information recently obtained through approved data sources,” the scheme said.

According to NSFAS, the remaining refund cohort comprises 19,536 former debtors owed a combined R28.6 million.

The scheme said it has initiated a renewed tracing and verification process to facilitate payments to affected individuals.

NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula said the scheme remained committed to administering financial transactions fairly, accurately and transparently.

“Where former beneficiaries have overpaid their loan balances, it is our responsibility to refund those amounts and ensure that affected individuals receive the funds due to them,” Mathebula said.

“We encourage all eligible debtors to engage with NSFAS through our official channels so that this process can be concluded efficiently.”

The scheme said its Loans Unit was monitoring overpaid loan balances, some of which were affected by historical interest calculations, and was contacting affected individuals using updated tracing information, including cellphone numbers and email addresses.

Eligible debtors will be informed if a refund may be due and directed to the official NSFAS refund platform, where they will be required to complete an application form and submit verified banking details. NSFAS will then validate the information and process refunds where applicable.

The scheme said banking details must be registered in the debtor’s name and linked to their South African identity number.

NSFAS added that beneficiaries may choose to donate their refunds back to the scheme to support future students.

The scheme warned beneficiaries and former beneficiaries not to share personal or banking information with unauthorised individuals or through unofficial channels.

Mathebula said safeguarding the personal information of beneficiaries and debtors remained a priority.

“We urge all affected individuals to verify communications and engage only through official NSFAS platforms when submitting refund requests or personal details,” he said.

NSFAS said any unclaimed funds would be transferred to the National Credit Regulator and reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability and the responsible administration of public funds.

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The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says more than R8.3 million was misused in the Free State Office of the Premier’s (OTP) bursary programme, following findings of serious maladministration, irregular expenditure and the awarding of bursaries to ineligible beneficiaries.

Acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho told a media briefing on Tuesday that the scheme, intended to fund scarce-skills studies for needy students, was instead compromised by officials who bypassed policies and approved payments to relatives, deceased persons, foreign nationals and officials who did not qualify.

“Officials awarded bursaries to relatives, deceased persons, foreign nationals, as well as ineligible officials, and left millions of rand in university accounts unaccounted for,” Lekgetho said.

The investigation, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 123 of 2023, was prompted by Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) reports for 2019 and 2020, which flagged irregularities in bursary administration.

Lekgetho said officials failed to follow application and approval processes, including cases where relatives were funded without due procedure and where an official received funding despite not submitting a bursary application for studies that began in 2017.

He added that some students who failed modules remained on bursary support, with contracts extended from three to seven years in breach of policy.

Others were funded for qualifications not listed in the provincial workplace skills plan.

The SIU also found an international bursary arrangement in which the Free State government ultimately funded 65% of costs, contrary to the terms of an initial memorandum of understanding.

In one case, a deceased student received funding from both the OTP and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The OTP paid R34,891.60 to the University of the Free State, while NSFAS deposited R13,000 into the student’s account, which was accessed by the family.

The funds could not be recovered.

Lekgetho said NSFAS funding fell outside the scope of the SIU proclamation.

The probe also found that seven bursary recipients were foreign nationals, despite policy limiting awards to South African citizens residing in the Free State, resulting in irregular expenditure of R576,734.48.

He said officials also received full-time bursaries despite being eligible only for part-time support under policy, while some recipients were paid excessive stipends, contributing to irregular payments totalling about R1.8 million.

The OTP has begun recovering funds from students who studied abroad and failed to meet bursary obligations, he added.

Lekgetho said the SIU had recovered R6.3 million from seven universities and signed 18 acknowledgements of debt worth R1.9 million with individuals who received undue benefits.

A further R283,571 has been recovered through instalments to date.

The unit has made 38 disciplinary referrals against officials across various levels, including human resources officers and senior managers, for alleged breaches of the Public Finance Management Act and bursary policy.

Evidence of potential criminal conduct involving seven individuals has been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for possible prosecution on charges including fraud, theft and money laundering.

“These referrals are not symbolic. They represent accountability and ensure those who abused power face the law,” Lekgetho said.

He said the investigation had exposed “a moral failure” in the administration of the scheme.

The SIU said it would continue recovery efforts and pursue disciplinary and criminal action where warranted.

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Student debt at South African universities has climbed to R59bn despite billions of rand spent annually through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Parliament heard on Wednesday during a briefing on the worsening financial pressures facing the higher education sector.

The debt crisis emerged during presentations by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Universities South Africa (USAf) to Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education.

USAf chief executive Phethiwe Matutu said nearly half the debt was linked to NSFAS-funded students.

“The major contributor to that debt are the NSFAS-funded students, contributing R29 billion,” Matutu told MPs.

She said self-funded students accounted for 44% of outstanding debt, while irrecoverable debt stood at about R12 billion.

The briefing raised questions over how universities had accumulated such high debt levels despite substantial state investment in student financial aid.

Portfolio committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie described the figures as alarming.

“Very worrying there,” Letsie said after the presentation.

“We’ll need to know how we got to that point when we discuss how NSFAS-funded students owe our institutions almost half of total debt.”

DHET officials said one of the main drivers of the crisis was the unresolved NSFAS reconciliation and close-out process between universities and the scheme, with some disputes dating back to 2017.

Universities warned that unresolved NSFAS balances were placing some institutions under pressure from auditors.

Matutu said the NSFAS accommodation cap had further deepened the crisis by leaving students liable for accommodation costs above the scheme’s limits.

Universities also cited unemployment, household financial distress, historic debt accumulation and academic exclusions as factors worsening debt levels.

Officials warned that universities had become increasingly dependent on tuition fees as government subsidies accounted for a shrinking share of institutional income.

DHET said subsidies and grants made up 43.7% of university income in 2020, falling to 36.4% by 2024, while tuition and accommodation fees increased as a proportion of university revenue.

The department said gross student debt had risen from R16.5 billion in 2020 to R24 billion in 2024 in audited figures, while impaired debt had increased to more than R15 billion.

Officials warned that nearly two-thirds of university debt was now impaired, meaning institutions believed a large portion would never be fully recovered.

Universities also told MPs that growing debt was affecting student success and graduation rates, as many students were blocked from registering for new academic years because of unpaid fees.

The sector warned that the crisis threatened the long-term sustainability of universities and was forcing some institutions to rely heavily on debt collection measures and alternative income streams.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has proclaimed the 2026 municipal elections, clearing the way for the official gazetting of the poll date and setting the stage for voters to head to the ballot later this year.

He announced that the Local Government Elections will be held on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, describing the timing as strategically chosen to maximise voter participation.

A voter registration weekend has been set for 20–21 June, as government ramps up efforts to counter growing concerns over voter apathy.

“The proposed date falls on a Wednesday and outside the festive period, which will improve voter turnout while having minimal impact on schooling and travel,” Ramaphosa said.

The announcement was made during his closing remarks at the Extended Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng, on Thursday.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, also speaking at the PCC meeting in Boksburg, said the 4 November date was selected to avoid overlap with the festive season and the January back-to-school period, allowing the education sector to plan accordingly.

“The earliest opportunity was the first of November,” Hlabisa said, adding that the Department of Basic Education would adjust its examination timetable to minimise disruption.

He said the department was expected to finalise its plans by the end of June, including arrangements for first-time voters who will be casting their ballots.

Addressing voter apathy, Hlabisa expressed confidence that citizens would turn out in significant numbers.

“Our people will gain courage from today. Those who have raised concerns about poor basic service delivery will have their time,” he said.

He added that the next five-year term of local government would be shaped by voters’ choices.

Hlabisa also called for peaceful campaigning, urging political parties and communities to uphold democratic principles and ensure that voters can exercise their rights freely.

He said he would convene a meeting with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to coordinate voter mobilisation efforts.

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Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on all South Africans to take urgent action to build a stronger reading culture by reading at home, supporting book clubs, visiting libraries and sharing books with children.

Gwarube made the call during the national World Book and Copyright Day commemoration held at Cape Town High School and the Centre for the Book in Cape Town.

The DBE said the country’s literacy crisis demands collective action beyond symbolic celebrations.

“Reading must not be reserved for one day on the calendar. It must become part of daily life in every home, every classroom and every community.”

The department together with partners including the National Library of South Africa, Room to Read, the City of Cape Town, Iziko Museums and Book Dash, marked the international observance.

The appeal comes as South Africa continues to battle a literacy crisis among young learners. 

According to the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language, which is a statistic that has long raised alarm across the education sector.  

This means many children are entering higher grades without the reading skills needed to succeed academically, making early reading interventions increasingly urgent.

“Simple actions can make a meaningful difference — reading at home, starting reading clubs, visiting libraries, donating books and encouraging children to write and tell their own stories,” the department said.

At the Cape Town event, learners took part in author engagements, storytelling sessions, guided reading activities, book exhibitions and cultural performances, while discussions on copyright awareness highlighted the need to protect the work of authors and creators.

Significant focus was also placed on indigenous languages, with officials stressing that mother-tongue reading improves comprehension, strengthens cultural identity and promotes inclusion.

“Every child must be able to see themselves in the stories they read and hear their own language reflected in books,” the DBE said.

The event also saw support from other stakeholders beyond the DBE. 

In the Western Cape, provincial education authorities challenged learners to read at least one book for pleasure this year.

“Read one book, cover to cover, this year. Not for school, but for the joy of it. And when you have finished that book, read another,” said Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier. 

The National Library of South Africa donated books worth R20, 000 to help strengthen school library resources in the province.  

“Once you create a culture of valuing reading and books, you are actually crafting an individual who will be responsible enough to respect other people’s rights,” said Aphiwe Sigadi, a Cape Town High School teacher. 

Globally, the day proclaimed by UNESCO in 1995 celebrates books, authors, and the protection of intellectual property. 

This year’s international observance also saw Rabat, Morocco, named UNESCO’s World Book Capital for 2026, with global programmes aimed at widening access to books and promoting reading ecosystems.  

The DBE said World Book and Copyright Day should serve not only as a celebration, but as a practical intervention to address literacy poverty and build a generation of readers.

“Through collective effort, South Africa can become a society where reading is part of everyday life,” it said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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