Three University of Johannesburg (UJ) researchers have been recognised at the 2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards, with Professor John Maina receiving his fourth A-rating and two emerging scholars honoured for research excellence.

The awards ceremony was held at the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, under the theme “Building an Inclusive, Impactful and Transformed Research Future”.

The theme reflects the NRF’s Vision 2030 and its five strategic pillars of Transformation, Innovation, Sustainability, Excellence and Impact.

Among this year’s UJ recipients were Maina and PhD researcher Anathi Msobo from the Faculty of Science, as well as Digital Media Design lecturer Nthabiseng Mabale, who is pursuing a PhD in Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Maina, a researcher in UJ’s Department of Zoology, received his fourth NRF A-rating.

An A-rating is awarded to researchers recognised by their peers as leading international scholars in their fields, based on the quality and impact of their recent research. Each rating is valid for six years.

Maina’s work focuses on respiratory systems in animals and how they have evolved and adapted. He studies how different species exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide across aquatic and terrestrial environments.

His research uses technologies including three-dimensional computer reconstructions, micro-computed tomography scanning, microscopic cell imaging and detailed physical measurements.

More recently, he has been investigating the use of bird lungs and fish gills as bioindicators of environmental pollution. He is also studying ostrich eggshell structures and the development of the chorioallantoic membrane, which enables an embryo to exchange gases while developing inside the egg.

The work could help identify structural factors contributing to poor ostrich egg hatchability, with potential benefits for South Africa’s ostrich farming industry.

Mabale, a lecturer in UJ’s Department of Multimedia, received a Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers.

She is pursuing a PhD in Media Studies at Wits University titled Fortification of Self-Reliance and Independence of Black South African Women in Informal Businesses.

Her research examines how digital tools can support women traders operating in Johannesburg’s Kwa Mai-Mai community.

She works with the traders as co-creators of knowledge, documenting their experiences, business practices and challenges while exploring ways digital technologies can strengthen economic self-reliance.

The research is funded through the NRF-FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Black Academics Advancement Programme, which supports Black academics pursuing doctoral qualifications.

Msobo, a PhD researcher in UJ’s Department of Biochemistry, also received a Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers.

Her NRF-funded work investigates antiviral compounds in South African medicinal plants, including natural compounds with the potential to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, a protein the virus relies on to replicate.

She combines artificial intelligence, computational science, advanced chemistry and laboratory testing to accelerate the identification of potentially useful compounds.

The approach could contribute to antiviral drug discovery and pandemic preparedness while building expertise in biotechnology, metabolomics and computational drug discovery.

Delivering the keynote address at the ceremony, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Professor Blade Nzimande raised concerns about the concentration of research funding and infrastructure at historically stronger institutions.

According to Nzimande, about 63% of NRF funding goes to the 10 universities with the highest research outputs, while 83% of South African Research Chairs Initiative Chairs are hosted at top-output universities.

He said efforts were being made to broaden participation at historically disadvantaged institutions, universities of technology and newer universities.

Earlier this year, 41 new SARChI Chairs were awarded specifically to these institutions. The NRF has also begun implementing its University Programmes and Collaborations initiative to strengthen research and human-capital capacity at historically disadvantaged institutions.

“The issue is crucial not for posterity, but for practical reasons: to ensure our country, with its scarce resource base, makes full use of its institutional resources to reach deeper and wider into every corner of South Africa and unleash its full potential,” Nzimande said.

The 2026 NRF Awards also included Lifetime Achievement Awards for Professor Jonathan Jansen of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Education and Professor Helen Rees of the University of the Witwatersrand’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi said the awards reflected the university’s growing research profile.

“The NRF Awards represent a wonderful and prestigious recognition for any scholar; it is something to treasure. UJ has over the years shown a stronger performance in these prestigious awards, and this year is not different,” Mpedi said.

UJ Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation Professor Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya said the recipients reflected the work being done by established and emerging scholars at the university.

“The awards show the quality of the research, not only for its own sake but for societal impact and sustainability. As a university, we are immensely proud of the achievements and of the work of our scholars, and we hope the awards will inspire more students,” she said.

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Durban University of Technology (DUT) has finalised the allocation of a R1.15 million Motsepe Foundation donation to students burdened by historical debt, months after the funding was provided to the university’s Student Representative Council.

DUT said the contribution was made at the beginning of the year and was aimed at providing financial relief to students facing outstanding historical fees.

“The payment process for students identified through DUT’s Financial Aid processes has now been finalised, marking an important milestone in the initiative and providing support to students affected by historical debt,” the university said.

“The donation was received by representatives of the DUT SRC, with the funding directed towards assisting students identified as beneficiaries through the relevant processes,” it said.

“This contribution will make a meaningful difference to students who have been carrying historical debt. As the SRC, we recognise the responsibility that comes with managing this support and remain committed to ensuring that the initiative reaches the students it is intended to assist,” said SRC Finance Officer Thalente Mteshane.

Mteshane, who serves as SRC Finance Officer for the 2025 to 2027 term, said partnerships such as the one with the Motsepe Foundation were important in addressing challenges faced by students.

“Financial challenges can place significant pressure on students and can affect their ability to focus on their studies. Support such as this provides much-needed relief and gives students an opportunity to continue working towards completing their qualifications,” he said.

The R1.15 million contribution follows a R1.1 million donation made by the Motsepe Foundation to the DUT SRC in 2024.

That funding was allocated to initiatives supporting students with historical debt, food security, gender-based violence, mental health and peace building.

The Foundation has also previously provided funding to assist DUT students with registration.

“For students, historical debt can present significant challenges, particularly where outstanding fees affect their ability to progress or complete their academic journey. The latest intervention therefore provides important support to students identified through the University’s Financial Aid processes.”

DUT said the initiative also demonstrated the value of partnerships between universities, student leadership and external organisations.

“DUT appreciates the Motsepe Foundation for its continued support of the University’s students and its commitment to initiatives that contribute towards student success.”

“The partnership demonstrates the value of collaboration between higher education institutions, student leadership structures and external stakeholders in addressing challenges that can affect students’ ability to succeed.”

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Gauteng has 405,627 available school places for the 2027 academic year, but the province says a mismatch between where capacity exists and where families want their children to attend is fuelling overcrowding at popular schools.

The Gauteng Department of Education received 805,688 applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for 2027, representing 346,877 individual learners after accounting for parents who applied to multiple schools.

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile said at a press briefing on Sunday about online placements and admissions for 2027 that the figures show that the province’s problem is not simply a shortage of school places, but the concentration of demand in particular areas and schools.

“We have 405,627 available spaces. So in theory, we don’t have a problem,” Maile said.

However, he said the available capacity could not simply be used to accommodate learners because parents’ demand is heavily concentrated around certain schools.

At Grade 8 level, Hoërskool Langenhoven in Tshwane West received 3,462 applications, while Alberton High School received 2,756, Katlehong Secondary School 2,747, Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation 2,573 and Parktown Boys’ High School 2,448.

At Grade 1 level, Laerskool Akasia received 1,355 applications, followed by Palmridge Primary School with 1,330, Alston Primary School with 1,207, Lakeside Primary School with 1,162 and Stoneridge Primary School with 1,153.

Maile said the department could not move learners from one part of the province to another simply because another school had available classrooms.

“I went to a school in Sebokeng. I think they’ve got space for about 500. There’s space for about 500, but it’s in Sebokeng. And then if you go to a school here in Alex, there are 500 more or 1,000 more, but Alex is here. So you can’t take those kids from Alex to Sebokeng because they stay here in Alex,” he said.

Maile said the department needed to rethink how existing capacity across Gauteng’s public schools is used, rather than continually expanding schools that are already popular.

He said the pressure was particularly difficult when thousands of parents selected a school that could accommodate only a fraction of the applications.

The department said placement would therefore have to follow its prescribed criteria, including the learner’s home address and proximity to the school.

Other factors include whether the learner has a sibling at the school, the learner’s previous school in the case of Grade 8 applicants, the parent’s work address and whether the learner lives within 30 kilometres of the school.

Where none of the schools selected by a parent has available space, the department may offer a place at the next closest school with capacity.

Maile said the concentration of learners at popular schools also had consequences beyond admissions.

“Unfortunately, where there’s overcrowding, there’s many other social problems because sometimes kids don’t have enough furniture and that becomes a source of fights amongst learners. There’s bullying, gangsterism, and all those issues,” he said.

The province is also facing pressure to increase capacity as Gauteng’s population grows and new residential areas develop.

Maile said the department had identified the need to build at least 200 schools, which he estimated would require at least R35 billion.

“Those schools include some of the schools that are just temporary schools,” he said.

The department said it was considering a combination of permanent infrastructure, public-private partnerships, alternative construction methods and mobile classrooms to respond to demand.

It is also considering whether leasing mobile classrooms could be more practical than buying them in areas where enrolment pressures are temporary or likely to shift.

At the same time, Maile said the province needed to make better use of existing facilities, including underused libraries, while expanding hybrid and e-learning.

“If you’ve got, for instance, libraries, which are not utilised and classrooms are full, you can still have kids going to those libraries and we teach them from there,” he said.

The department said placement offers for learners with complete applications are scheduled to begin on 15 October.

Parents will receive offers by SMS and will have seven days to accept or decline an offer. Placement will continue through the remainder of the year as the department works to accommodate all learners.

Maile said the goal was to have as many learners placed as possible before January to reduce the disruption that typically accompanies the start of the school year.

The department has also warned parents against paying people who claim they can secure school places, saying such payments amount to corruption and cannot guarantee admission.

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The Cape Peninsula University of Technology has extended its 2026 academic programme after losing about three weeks of teaching time during a student shutdown, with the revised calendar now expected to run until 14 December.

“Senate, at its special meeting, considered the proposed adjustments to the 2026 academic calendar following the disruption of the academic programme and the loss of approximately three weeks of tuition,” CPUT management said in a statement.

“Its intention was to restore the academic year and to safeguard the students’ graduation prospects across all qualification levels.”

The shutdown began in early August over a range of financial and governance grievances, with CPUT’s proposed 2027 Financial Recovery Plan at the centre of the dispute.

Students objected to proposals that could have required some returning students to make an upfront payment of as much as R7,000 to register in 2027. Other grievances included historical student debt, residence costs, the NSFAS accommodation funding cap, access to academic records and what student leaders said was inadequate consultation over the proposed financial changes.

CPUT initially said the plan was still under consideration and that no final decisions had been made. Council withdrew the draft plan on 12 August for further consultation, but the protest action continued.

READ| This is why CPUT students are protesting

The unrest later escalated, with CPUT reporting damage across three campuses, including broken windows, a burnt vehicle, damaged classroom, flooded buildings and damage to security equipment and the recently restored IKAMVA building.

On 17 August, the Old Education building at the Bellville campus was set alight. CPUT described the incident as an arson attack and the following day ordered all campuses closed, suspended academic activities and instructed students to leave university residences.

Student leaders rejected suggestions that they supported the destruction of university property.

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela subsequently sent a departmental team to facilitate talks between university management, Council and student leaders.

READ| Manamela steps in as arson, violent student protests shut down CPUT campuses

At a Special Council meeting on 29 August, CPUT unconditionally withdrew the draft Financial Recovery Plan and agreed that students who had accumulated debt because of the NSFAS accommodation cap should be allowed to receive their academic transcripts and certificates.

The same meeting asked Senate to consider adjustments to the 2026 calendar to “rescue the academic project”.

Under the revised programme, the scheduled recess from 4 to 14 September will remain unchanged.

Tuition will be extended by two weeks, while faculties will recover the equivalent of another five teaching days through arrangements suited to their disciplines.

“Based on the current scenario the revised adjusted calendar will complete by 14 December 2026,” the university said.

Implementation is dependent on academic activities resuming on 14 September.

CPUT said operational support departments would continue cleaning and repairing damaged facilities to ensure campuses were ready for students and staff to return.

Reassessments and special assessments will be accommodated during the existing January 2027 reassessment period, while the summer graduation scheduled for 10 December will proceed as planned.

Additional days worked by academic staff will be credited to their leave, subject to further discussions and finalisation through the university’s human capital processes.

“Staff who complete their academic responsibilities earlier, could commence leave sooner by arrangement with their Heads of Department,” the statement said.

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Nearly half of older learners who leave school before completing Grade 12 are affected by financial pressure or barriers to progression, with a lack of money for fees emerging as the single biggest stated reason for non-attendance among 16 to 18-year-olds.

The findings are contained in the Department of Basic Education’s latest analysis of the 2024 General Household Survey (GHS), released in August, which shows that while the country has made progress in keeping children in school, “the drop-out problem in South Africa is mainly among older learners”.

According to the report, 23% of 16 to 18-year-olds who were not attending an educational institution in 2024 said the main reason was a lack of money for fees. A further 12% said they had not been accepted for enrolment.

The report found that the risk of dropping out rises sharply in the later grades.

For the most recent cohort, covering young people born between 1998 and 2000 and surveyed between 2022 and 2024, the grade-specific dropout rate increased from 11.9% after Grade 10 to 20.9% after Grade 11. By comparison, dropout rates remained below 4% from Grades 1 to 6.

The report states that dropout rates are “low in the primary school grades and increase with each grade, peaking after Grade 11”.

This means learners are generally more likely to remain in school during their primary years, but the pressure becomes much greater as they approach the end of secondary school.

It also found that 29.8% of those in the latest cohort who reported completing Grade 11 did not complete any further education and were therefore assumed to have dropped out.

The DBE said, however, that the reasons learners give for not attending school should not automatically be regarded as the underlying causes of dropout.

“The main predictor of dropping out is poor quality early education,” the report states.

It explains that the reasons reported by learners may instead be immediate triggers for leaving school, particularly among those already struggling academically.

The report notes that these factors may not necessarily result in dropout among learners who are progressing well, “especially if they are in a good quality school”.

The findings come against a general improvement in school survival rates. Among young people aged 22 to 26, the proportion completing Grade 12 increased from 38% among those born between 1979 and 1981 to 60.3% among those born between 1998 and 2000.

The report says the improvement in survival rates is particularly evident among younger generations. For the latest cohort, the survival rate was 92.2% by Grade 9, 86.5% by Grade 10 and 76.2% by Grade 11, before falling to 60.3% at Grade 12.

Overall, the number of children aged seven to 18 who were out of school declined from about 435,292 in 2013 to approximately 405,718 in 2024.

Among 16 to 18-year-olds, the number fell from about 325,166, or 11%, in 2013 to approximately 265,723, or 8.6%, in 2024.

The financial pressure on older learners nevertheless stands out in the 2024 findings. This is despite the expansion of the no-fee school policy, which has increased the proportion of public-school learners paying no school fees from about 50% in 2009 to approximately 71% in 2024.

“The main reason (97,5%) given for not paying fees by learners in public schools was that the school did not ask for fees,” the report states.

The increase in no-fee schooling means that the cost of school fees is not affecting all learners in the same way. However, the GHS findings show that money remains a barrier for a significant group of older learners who are already outside the education system.

The proportion of seven to 15-year-olds outside the education system has remained relatively stable at around 1.2%.

Among seven to 15-year-olds, disability was the main reason identified for non-attendance. The report notes, however, that about 87% of learners with disabilities do attend an educational institution.

A smaller group of learners also said they were out of school because they regarded education as having no value.

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The University of South Africa (Unisa) has appointed Professor Mpho Ngoepe as its new Vice-Principal for Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support.

Ngoepe, a C2-rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF), will take up the position on 1 October following approval of his appointment by the university council.

His appointment was made after the council considered reports and recommendations from the Selection Committee, as well as advice from the Executive Committees of the Senate and Institutional Forum.

Ngoepe has more than 28 years of academic, professional and leadership experience in library and information services, higher education, research, archives and records management, corporate governance and community engagement.

He joined Unisa in August 2012 and has held several senior academic and leadership positions at the university, including Director of the School of Arts, Acting Deputy Executive Dean, Head of the Department of Information Science and Head of the Centre for Applied Information and Communication.

He currently serves as Acting Vice-Principal for Research, Postgraduate Studies, Innovation and Commercialisation.

Unisa said his new portfolio would draw on his experience in academic leadership, research, postgraduate supervision, professional development and knowledge creation.

Ngoepe has published more than 100 journal articles, seven conference proceedings, 11 book chapters and three academic books. His research has focused on archives and records management, digital records, corporate governance, indigenous knowledge and languages, literacy and freedom of information.

His international academic standing was recognised in 2023 when he was included among the top 2% of scientists worldwide for career impact in a ranking by Elsevier and Stanford University based on authors published in Scopus-indexed journals.

Between 2013 and 2018, Ngoepe served as Director of Team Africa for the International Project on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) Trust, coordinated by the University of British Columbia in Canada.

During that period, the Africa team conducted research on digital records and archival education, including compiling a directory of higher education institutions offering archival studies in 38 African countries.

In 2016, the International Council on Archives appointed Ngoepe to convene a meeting of archival educators from across Africa, contributing to the organisation’s education strategy for the continent.

He has also supervised 28 master’s and 34 doctoral students to completion.

Ngoepe has also contributed to the promotion of African languages and literature. He has published two award-winning anthologies of Northern Sotho short stories, which were recommended for Grade 8 learners by the Limpopo Department of Education. He also authored a biography of 2012 Comrades Marathon champion Ludwick Mamabolo.

His professional leadership has included roles in the South African Society of Archivists, the Eastern and Southern African Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives, the National Archives Advisory Council, the Gauteng Provincial Archives Advisory Council and the Archival Education Research Institute.

He has received several awards, including the IVAISLIP/SABINET Information Officer of the Year Award in 2004, recognition from the South African Human Rights Commission and Open Democracy Advice Centre in 2007 for his work in implementing the Promotion of Access to Information Act, the Unisa Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in Research in 2020 and the South African Society of Archivists Lifetime Achiever Award in 2022.

Unisa principal and vice-chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula said Ngoepe’s experience would be important as the university pursued its strategic priorities.

“Unisa wishes Professor Ngoepe every success in this important new role, which carries the significant responsibility of accelerating the pace of cultivating the Catalytic Niche Areas,” LenkaBula said.

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Nearly 10,000 university-owned residence beds are unavailable because renovations remain outstanding, as South Africa struggles to provide enough affordable accommodation for students.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said preliminary departmental information showed 9,907 university-owned beds were currently unavailable.

Speaking at Parliament’s student accommodation colloquium in Cape Town, Manamela said the shortage of beds was compounded by slow infrastructure delivery, maintenance backlogs and weaknesses in the system used to place and fund students.

“A bursary without a bed is access on paper. A bed without safety is shelter without dignity. And an accommodation system without accountability can become a subsidy for failure, exploitation and corruption,” Manamela said.

A Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) survey conducted in March found that TVET colleges had only 9,968 institution-owned beds, while 39% of the residences that responded were assessed as being in poor condition.

“A bed under construction is not yet a bed for a student. A bed standing empty because a bathroom, roof, bulk connection or procurement process has failed is also not a bed for a student,” Manamela said.

He said infrastructure projects were being delayed during feasibility studies, procurement, contracting and construction, as well as by problems connecting developments to bulk municipal services.

Maintenance was also being deferred until entire residence blocks became unusable.

“The problem is not only that we need more money. We also need better planning, stronger project-management capability and consequences for persistent non-delivery,” Manamela said.

Manamela said he has demanded a project-by-project recovery plan for the 9,907 unavailable beds, detailing the institution responsible, the bottleneck affecting the project, a revised completion date and what intervention is required.

The plan must also be considered alongside the government’s funded construction pipeline.

DHET and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have also been given 60 days to produce a reconciled national picture of student accommodation.

The assessment must identify available, occupied, empty, unserviceable and planned beds, as well as accommodation rates, accreditation status and major safety and delivery risks.

Within the same period, DHET and NSFAS must present Manamela with options for a differentiated student accommodation pricing framework for 2027 and proposals for a new model dividing responsibilities between the department, NSFAS, institutions and accommodation providers.

Manamela said the current system had produced problems despite attempts to regulate the student accommodation market.

A single accommodation funding ceiling had helped restrain prices, but could have unintended consequences, particularly because the cost of student housing differs significantly between locations, he said.

In expensive urban areas, the difference between the funding ceiling and actual accommodation costs could be shifted to students or institutional debt, while elsewhere the maximum allowance could effectively become the market price, encouraging providers that previously charged less to increase their rates.

Manamela said a future framework should instead consider factors including location, accommodation grade, room type, utilities, security, internet connectivity, transport and operating costs.

He also raised concerns about fragmented accommodation records.

Universities, NSFAS, accommodation providers and students could hold different information about registrations, placements, occupation dates, leases and payments, creating a risk that legitimate providers were not paid, students faced eviction or public money was spent on empty accommodation.

“Every rand paid for a ghost bed is stolen twice: once from the public purse and once from the student who needed a real bed,” Manamela said.

Manamela said a ministerial review appointed in 2010 and reported in 2011 found universities had 107,598 residence beds, enough for only about one in five full-time contact students at the time.

The estimated shortage was already 195,815 beds, while maintenance, refurbishment and modernisation requirements exceeded R4 billion in 2010 prices.

Government has since expanded student housing through infrastructure grants and the Student Housing Infrastructure Programme.

Manamela said 9,721 beds had been completed under the first phase of that programme by March 2025, with further projects under construction or in preparation.

But he said increasing the number of new beds would have to go hand in hand with recovering existing university accommodation that had fallen out of use.

The TVET residence condition assessment would similarly have to be converted into a funded repair and development programme rather than simply remain a survey, he said.

He said he intended to report back to Parliament before the end of November on the national accommodation baseline, the proposed 2027 model, the accommodation funding cap review and progress in recovering unusable beds.

“Parliament should be able to measure us against decisions, owners and dates – not merely against another statement of intention,” he said.

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South Africa needs about R120 billion for additional classrooms and sanitation facilities to meet current demand in public schools, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Monday, as growing learner numbers and fiscal constraints deepen pressure.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted the scale of the infrastructure challenge at the launch of the new LEAP 9 Maths and Science School in Kariega, Eastern Cape, where she welcomed Volkswagen South Africa’s investment in the project.

Gwarube described the school as an example of how government and business could work together to expand educational opportunities.

“Government has the primary responsibility for providing quality public education, but the scale of our infrastructure requirements demands that we mobilise every available resource. Responsible private sector partnerships can help us accelerate investment in the environments in which our children learn,” Gwarube said.

The DBE estimates that approximately R120 billion is required for additional classrooms and sanitation facilities to meet current demand across the public education system. Growing learner numbers and a constrained fiscal environment are compounding the challenge.

Gwarube thanked Volkswagen South Africa for its contribution, saying the investment was particularly significant in a province with a major automotive and manufacturing sector.

She said the LEAP 9 Maths and Science School aligns with the department’s Strong Foundations, Strong Futures strategy, which seeks to improve foundational literacy and numeracy while strengthening the pipeline into mathematics, science, technology and other gateway subjects.

“That eight out of 10 children cannot read for meaning by the age of 10 should concern every South African. We must strengthen the foundations of learning if we want young South Africans to succeed in STEM fields and participate meaningfully in our economy,” she said.

Gwarube said Volkswagen’s “Cradle to Career” approach reflected the importance of sustained investment in human capital.

“The learners at LEAP 9 are future engineers, scientists, teachers, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals. Some may one day contribute to the very industries that drive the Eastern Cape economy. Investing in their education is an investment in the province’s future.”

She called on more businesses to partner with government to expand access to quality infrastructure, strengthen mathematics and science education, and expose learners to career opportunities.

“The Eastern Cape has enormous human potential. We must ensure that geography or circumstances of birth never place a ceiling on a young person’s ambition,” she said.

Speaking at the launch, Volkswagen Group Africa Chairperson and Managing Director Martina Biene reflected on the company’s 75-year journey in South Africa and its investment in communities around its Kariega operations.

Biene described Volkswagen as deeply rooted in the communities where it operates, saying the company sought to respond to community needs and invest in empowering people.

She highlighted LEAP 9 as another example of Volkswagen’s commitment to education and expanding opportunities for young people in KwaNobuhle.

The LEAP 9 project has transformed the former Mlungisi Perfector School into a Maths and Science primary and high school in KwaNobuhle.

“We put our money where our mouth is, but also our hands and our hearts,” Biene said.

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South African universities collect vast amounts of information about student performance, attendance, engagement and progression. Yet too often, that information tells institutions what has already happened rather than helping them influence what happens next.

The aim is to use existing data to identify emerging academic risks earlier and connect students with the right support before difficulties become entrenched.

In practical terms, data-informed decision-making requires institutions to establish where each student is in their academic journey, where they need to be, and what intervention is most likely to close the gap.

A shared understanding of these questions gives lecturers, academic leaders and student-support teams a common view of student progress. It also establishes a clear path from evidence to action: identify the risk, determine the appropriate support, intervene, and assess whether the response was effective.

With student retention and completion continuing to place pressure on the higher education sector, the ability to recognise warning signs early is increasingly important.

Historically, institutions have relied heavily on retrospective reporting, analysing academic performance after results have been released. While this helps explain what happened, it offers limited opportunity to change the outcome for a student.

Bringing together current attendance, engagement and assessment data can provide a much earlier picture. Missed classes, declining engagement or weaker assessment performance, for instance, may signal that a student requires additional support.

We have moved beyond using data for compliance or historical reporting purposes. It should be informing how institutions support students while there is still an opportunity to make a difference.

For students and their families, the stakes are significant. Higher education represents a substantial personal and financial investment, making timely support critical when academic difficulties emerge.

When lecturers, academic leaders and student-support teams share a common picture of student progress, decisions stop being guesswork. Students who need support can be identified earlier, resources can be directed where they are most needed and the effectiveness of interventions can be measured.

But identifying risk is only useful if the insight reaches those who can act on it. Academic information needs to be consolidated and made available to deans, lecturers and student-support teams during the relevant semester, rather than remaining in central reports reviewed after the fact.

The value extends beyond individual interventions. Patterns in performance, progression and graduate outcomes can also reveal where programmes and institutions themselves need to improve. These insights can inform curriculum design, teaching development, quality assurance and the alignment of qualifications with evolving workplace needs.

As higher education evolves, institutions need to learn about their own practice as rigorously as they teach.

Data, used well, allows an institution to listen to itself. The advantage is not in having more information, but in recognising what it is telling you and acting early enough to improve outcomes.

Taryn Migatchev is Head of Academic Insights and Reporting at The IIE and Advtech’s Academic Centre of Excellence.

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Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim has called for a practical student safety compact that sets clear responsibilities and measurable commitments across institutions, municipalities, law enforcement and accommodation providers.

Addressing the National Student Safety, Security and Well-Being Summit 2026 at the University of the Western Cape on Friday, Cassim said student safety was not simply a policy issue but a human obligation.

“When a parent sends a child to university, they are entrusting us with their son or daughter. That trust comes with a responsibility. Not simply to have policies,” Cassim said.

“Not simply to hold meetings. Not simply to receive reports. Our responsibility is to make sure they are safe. And when a system is not working, our responsibility is not to defend it. It is to change it.”

He said that no parent should be afraid to send their daughter or son to university because they fear that they may not return home safely.

He said just days ago, Cape Town once again walked in remembrance of Uyinene Mrwetyana.

He added that nearly seven years after the 19-year-old UCT student was raped and murdered in Claremont, the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation and UCT retraced the route she once travelled between Roscommon House, where she lived as a student, and the university where she was pursuing her education.

“Think about that for a moment. A young woman left her residence as a student pursuing an education and a future. The route between where she lived and the world she was trying to enter became a route of tragedy,” he said.

He said remembrance could not be the destination and questioned whether anything had changed since Uyinene’s death.

He said if Uyinene’s name has taught South Africans anything, it is that we cannot measure student safety only by what happens inside the university gate.

“The campus gate cannot become the boundary of our responsibility,” he said.

“A student does not stop being a student when they leave the campus gate.”

He added that students remain students when they walk to their residences, wait for taxis, walk to shops, cross municipal roads, enter private residences and return home at night.

Cassim said responsibility for student safety could not simply rest with universities and had to extend more broadly.

“The responsibility is much broader,” he said.

“Student safety is a shared responsibility, requiring universities, municipalities, law enforcement, accommodation providers, transport operators and students themselves to work together.”

According to the latest SAPS crime statistics for January to March 2026, he said 5,181 people were murdered nationally, an average of 58 lives lost every day.

He said the Western Cape recorded a murder ratio of 12.8 per 100,000 people, the second-highest provincial risk in the country.

“These may not be student-specific figures and we should not pretend that they are. But they tell us something important about the environment in which our students live, travel and study,” he said.

“These numbers tell us something uncomfortable: the environment in which our students live is not safe enough.”

He said that Cape Town is an example of what is possible when people, technology, intelligence and partnerships are brought together.

He said the City’s approach includes drones and other “eye-in-the-sky” capabilities, CCTV, automated licence-plate recognition, body-worn cameras, gunshot-detection technology, canine units and digitally enabled policing.

“But let me be clear: this summit is not about celebrating one city’s model. It is about asking what works,” he said.

“But where systems are failing students, we must be equally prepared to say so.”

“We cannot become more committed to protecting systems than protecting students.”

He said that the measure of success cannot be how many cameras are installed, how many policies are written, or how many meetings are held, but whether the student is safer.

“Technology alone, however, will never be enough. We need eyes in the sky, but also eyes on the ground,” he said.

“We need technology that identifies risk, people who can respond to that risk, and systems that ensure the response actually reaches the student.”

He said accommodation must be viewed not simply as a funding or housing issue, but as an essential component of the student’s educational experience and wellbeing.

“Where private landlords and accommodation agents participate in student housing, they must recognise that they are not simply providing a commercial service,” he said.

“They are providing the environment in which young people live and study, and they must uphold the applicable safety and accommodation standards.”

He said that student accommodation must be structurally sound, have appropriate access control, secure doors and windows, adequate lighting, meet fire-safety requirements and have safe electrical and gas installations.

He also said emergency procedures must exist, common areas must be maintained, students must know who to contact in an emergency, and safety concerns raised by students must be taken seriously and acted upon.

“These are not luxury standards or unreasonable expectations. They are part of what it means to provide a safe environment in which a student can live and learn,” he said.

In memory of Uyinene, he said it would be easy to commemorate her once a year, lay flowers, hold a walk, make speeches and then return to business as usual.

However, he said, the purpose of remembrance must ultimately be action.

“So today I want to propose that we begin moving towards a different national conception of student safety,” he said.

“Not a system in which every institution protects only its own piece. But a system in which the pieces connect.”

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has called on employers in the hospitality and related industries to open their workplaces and to invest in learnerships, saying partnerships with businesses are critical to closing South Africa’s skills and unemployment gap.

Manamela made the call during the 2nd Cohort Learnership Programme Launch of the joint McDonald’s South Africa and Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) Hospitality Learnership Programme on Friday, which has enrolled 2,370 young people in a 12-month programme leading to a National Certificate: Fast Food Services at NQF Level 3.

The programme, which was launched with 1,300 learners in 2024, aims to equip young people with practical skills and workplace experience in the hospitality sector.

Manamela said the success of programmes such as the McDonald’s learnership depended on employers being willing to provide young people with opportunities to gain practical experience.

He said young people should be trained according to the industries in which they are placed, whether hospitality, tourism, engineering or other sectors.

The minister said the model being implemented through the programme was important because it combines classroom learning with workplace exposure.

Under the programme, 30% of the training will take place in the classroom, while 70% will be spent in the workplace, allowing learners to gain hands-on experience and become familiar with real working environments.

Manamela said this approach was essential to addressing the mismatch between the skills young people acquire through education and the skills required by employers.

“The reason why we’re doing this, why we’re driving this, is because of the mismatch that exists between the skills that we have been trained for and the new level of opportunities, but also job preparedness,” he said.

He said that the value of a learnership should not be measured only by whether a learner receives a certificate, but also by whether they leave the programme with practical competence that can be used in the workplace.

“The skills programme is not good enough only based on the certificate. It’s not what CATHSSETA is investing. To pull it through, we will need the learners and the learnership to ensure that they go up to completion,” Manamela said.

He urged companies in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors to come together with government and training authorities to expand such initiatives.

“The money which we gave to the CEO of CATHSSETA, and the CEO of McDonald’s, to the Chief People Officer, means: how do we get the rest of the people who are in retail, hospitality and so on and so forth around the table to look at how we can expand this at scale?”

The call comes as government seeks to strengthen the role of workplaces in technical and vocational education and training and the broader skills development system.

Manamela said government could not achieve the country’s skills revolution on its own and needed the private sector, trade unions, NGOs and communities to work together.

“We cannot do that alone as government. We cannot do that alone as NGOs, as NPOs,” he said.

“We can only do that if the trade unions are on board and support opening of workplaces and the placement of learners and do not see this level as a threat. We can only do that if workplaces are on board and will continue to open.”

He also highlighted the potential of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, saying government has invested significant resources into developing institutions equipped with workshops and simulated work environments.

According to Manamela, there are now 52 centres of specialisation, with government aiming to expand these facilities and align them with specific skills requirements.

He said this investment needed to be matched by greater involvement from industry.

“The TVET sector is at the heart of our skills revolution. That investment has to be complemented by collective investment which will be done by everyone,” Manamela said.

The McDonald’s-CATHSSETA programme is also intended to provide learners with financial support while they undergo training.

The monthly stipend has increased from R2,500 to R3,500, with McDonald’s providing an additional R500 top-up, while transport support is also being provided to learners.

Manamela urged all 2,370 learners who began the 12-month programme to remain committed until completion.

He acknowledged that learnership programmes can experience dropouts, but said learners should take advantage of the opportunity presented to them.

“I know we have experienced some of these good programmes, where we start with a specific number of students, and then some of them drop out,” he said.

Manamela said completing the programme could place learners in a stronger position when seeking employment, particularly as McDonald’s itself could potentially draw future employees from the programme.

He pointed to other initiatives, including a programme through the Cellphone Repair Skills Programme, where about 326 young people were trained in cellphone and electronic repairs.

Of those, 25 young people were provided with containers to establish businesses in townships, offering repairs for cellphones, laptops and other electronic devices.

Manamela said the programme demonstrated the potential of skills training to move beyond certificates and into entrepreneurship and job creation.

He also highlighted the 20,000-internship initiative launched by Services SETA, describing it as another example of partnerships between government and business to expand opportunities for young people.

He said the scale of these programmes showed that SETA investment was increasingly being directed towards stipends, learnerships, internships and other interventions aligned with government’s skills revolution.

Manamela said the next step was to ensure that the initiatives were expanded across industries.

“This is not just an isolated programme. This is a programme which wants to expand,” he said.

“This is a programme which is resonating with the President’s skills revolution. And this is a programme which requires partnership, which requires employers to open their doors.”

He said the ultimate goal was to build a system where young people could trust that qualifications and training programmes would provide meaningful value and lead to opportunities.

“Little by little, with all of the small partnerships that we have, I believe that we’ll be able to grow this into a system where students believe that the certificates that we get from our TVET college, our university, or from our SETAs, or from any training programme, are worth the effort that is put in. And that’s what we are determined to do,” Manamela said.

Out of 1,400 learners trained on the first cohort, over 400 were permanently absorbed into McDonald’s South Africa, with another 75% now employed full-time elsewhere in the hospitality sector.

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The Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) wants to explore a graduate programme with McDonald’s South Africa that could provide employment pathways for young people with degrees and diplomas.

CATHSSETA CEO Marks Thibela told Inside Education that the proposed programme could potentially take in graduates with qualifications in hospitality and place them in areas including accounting, finance, human resources and law.

He said the programme could include graduates who already hold degrees and diplomas, including qualifications in hospitality, with participants being placed after completing the programme.

“Those who have degrees and diplomas in hospitality, we put them into a programme, then once they complete it, they get placed,” he said.

“Then they will be placed at the head office of McDonald’s, not necessarily at the outlets. That is the beauty of this programme, and we are so excited about it.”

Thibela said CATHSSETA wanted to replicate the employment-linked model with other employers and had engaged with major players in the fast-food sector, including KFC, Nando’s and Burger King.

He said the intention was to encourage employers to participate in skills programmes while committing to absorbing at least some of the young people who complete their training.

“We want an employer who’s honest, who’s coming in and says if we train these young people, I can absorb them, then we will work with you,” Thibela said.

He said employers could also co-fund initiatives with SETAs to increase the number of young people benefiting from employment-linked training.

The proposal comes as CATHSSETA seeks to shift the focus of skills development programmes from simply counting how many young people have been trained to measuring how many ultimately enter employment.

Thibela said the authority was considering using surplus funds to support graduate internship programmes, but stressed that employers would need to demonstrate a commitment to absorbing young people after training.

“Beyond the numbers, can we really proudly say those people have been employed? If an employer works with us, they must commit to absorbing one or two of them,” he said.

In his address at the 2nd Cohort McDonald’s/CATHSSETA Learnership Programme Launch at McDonald’s South Africa head office in Sandton, Thibela said SETAs had become accustomed over the years to measuring their success through the number of beneficiaries placed in programmes.

He added that training thousands of young people without creating pathways into employment would do little to address South Africa’s unemployment crisis.

“It can’t be just hundreds and thousands of young people that graduate and at the end, zero absorption, because that doesn’t really help the problem of unemployment in this country,” Thibela said.

The proposed graduate programme would build on the existing partnership between CATHSSETA and McDonald’s. Thibela said the second cohort had been expanded to 2,370 learners.

He said CATHSSETA had committed R89 million to the latest programme, compared with R44 million committed in 2024.

Thibela said the increased investment followed lessons learnt from the first cohort, with the authority reviewing factors that contributed to learner attrition.

He identified stipends and the recruitment process among the issues that had been examined.

Thibela said CATHSSETA had also partnered with Harambee to strengthen recruitment and reach young people in rural areas.

“It would be great if out of the 2,300, we talk about 50% plus coming from rural areas and people with disabilities,” he said.

The learnership leads to a National Certificate in Fast Food Services and combines classroom-based education with practical workplace experience.

Thibela also pointed to the wider socioeconomic impact of youth employment, particularly in rural communities.

He said when one young person secures employment, the benefits can extend to family members who depend on that income.

Thibela said CATHSSETA had initially been uncertain whether the programme would progress to a second phase, but the outcomes of the first cohort had demonstrated its potential.

“We never thought we would reach phase two, and here we are,” he said.

“We are going to look for a partner who will help us absorb whatever number of learners that can make a difference. And to us, it is sending a message out there that SETAs are able to work with employers and create sustainable employment. We are not only number crunching,” Thibela said.

McDonald’s chief people officer, Dr Mamello Masia, said the programme provides learners with an opportunity to gain both an accredited qualification and practical experience.

Learners spend about 30% of their time in classrooms and 70% gaining hands-on experience in McDonald’s restaurants, according to Masia.

“The qualification is really going to be halfway through this programme, or rather the journey. It is the workplace experience that completes it, and turns it into a career,” Masia said.

She said the private sector had an important role to play in creating pathways between education and employment, particularly as South Africa continues to face high youth unemployment.

According to the latest Statistics South Africa figures, the country’s official unemployment rate stood at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, while unemployment among the broader youth population aged 15 to 34 reached 47.4%.

Masia also cited an unemployment rate of 60.9% among young people aged 15 to 24, a figure recorded by Stats SA in the first quarter of 2026.

The latest second-quarter figures showed that 36.4% of the approximately 10.4 million young people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training, equivalent to about 3.8 million people.

“It is not enough to create opportunities. We must equip young people with skills, experience and support they need to access sustainable employment,” Masia said.

The first cohort of the McDonald’s-CATHSSETA programme has already produced employment outcomes. McDonald’s said in October 2025 that, of the 1,400 learners trained, 476 had been permanently absorbed into the company.

The company also reported that more than 75% of those no longer in the programme were employed full-time in the industry, while 1.5% had moved into self-employment.

For the 2,370 learners entering the current programme, Masia urged them to make full use of the opportunity, emphasising that workplace experience would be critical to turning their qualifications into careers.

“It is important to make the best of it. I always say there is a big eye watching. Just learn right now, money will follow you,” Masia said.

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has officially handed over fully equipped cellphone repair containers to 25 entrepreneurs in Sebokeng, as part of a R19 million programme aimed at turning technical skills into sustainable businesses and employment opportunities.

The handover ceremony took place at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Complex on Monday and forms part of the Cellphone Repair Skills Programme, which seeks to equip 500 disadvantaged South Africans with practical cellphone repair skills and business opportunities.

The broader initiative provides for 50 fully equipped business containers, with the latest handover benefiting an additional 25 entrepreneurs.

The programme is being implemented by the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA), in partnership with the South African Mobile Devices Distributors and Repairers Association (SAMDDRA), under the W&RSETA Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) Development Programme.

Since its introduction in 2024, the programme has trained 326 South Africans against a target of 500 beneficiaries.

The three-month practical training programme equips participants with cellphone repair skills while preparing them to establish and operate businesses in their own communities.

Speaking at the handover, Manamela said government was committed to expanding the initiative and would seek to support at least 25 more entrepreneurs in the new year.

“The commitment that has been made by government and SETA is that they will expand, they will extend this commitment to a minimum of 25 more in the new year,” he said.

Manamela also challenged other Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) to collaborate with W&RSETA to expand the programme and explore funding opportunities beyond government.

“This is a challenge to the rest of the other SETAs to collaborate with Wholesale and Retail SETA. Why should we only look for money within the state?”

He said the private sector, particularly telecommunications companies and mobile device manufacturers, should be brought into efforts to support young entrepreneurs entering the cellphone repair industry.

“The private sector, the telecoms companies, the manufacturers of that are endorsing some of the products and want to be specialists in those,” Manamela said.

According to the Minister, the cellphone repair industry has significant potential to create opportunities for young people, women and persons with disabilities.

“We need to support the rest of the young people who want to do business, men and women, who want to contribute to employment creation, who also want to make an impact in their communities and ensure that they have a sustainable life,” he said.

Manamela said the demand for mobile technology services demonstrated the need to expand the skills pipeline.

He referred to an estimate presented by the Association of Mobile Distributors that suggested demand for about 20,000 mobile technology technicians.

“He estimates that 20,000 mobile technologies are in demand. And so that’s something that we need to ensure that we address,” he said.

The minister said the programme also demonstrated the important role small businesses could play in tackling unemployment.

“The National Development Plan targets 11 million jobs coming out of small businesses,” he said.

The National Development Plan’s employment target is to create 11 million additional jobs by 2030, while envisaging that about 90% of new jobs would come from small and expanding firms.

The minister said beneficiaries should not only be viewed as recipients of training and equipment, but as emerging business owners capable of creating jobs themselves.

“I was trying to hear from each of the businessmen and women… at least each of them have employed some additional persons. Some of them even went on to employ two people in their businesses,” he said.

Manamela said the programme could also create opportunities beyond cellphone repairs, particularly in electronic waste management.

“There are also other things which they’ve mentioned, which I think we should not underestimate, the potential that their businesses have, expanding into e-waste, which is green jobs,” he said.

He acknowledged that some beneficiaries had raised concerns about competition within the industry and said government needed to ensure that trained entrepreneurs were supported to build sustainable businesses.

“What it means is that we need to support them, that there might be equality, something that’s guaranteed, something that’s endorsed, something that’s also a decent place to work and get yourself fixed,” he said.

Manamela said the fact that some beneficiaries were operating from their homes should not be viewed as a limitation.

“There’s no reason why it can’t be their home,” he said.

He also drew parallels between the cellphone repair programme and the township spaza shop economy, saying skills should determine who participates in small business rather than race, gender or age.

“Any person, given the right skills and trade, can run a spaza shop. It’s not something that’s designated to a particular race or a particular gender or a particular age,” he said.

He said the same principle should apply to cellphone repair businesses and other enterprises in the township economy.

“As long as you’re given the necessary skills, spaza shops have been there historically in our communities,” Manamela said.

Manamela said the success of the cellphone repair programme could provide a model for broader small-business development if government and its partners were able to replicate it in other communities.

“If this model works, and it has worked in the past, it means that our investment into small business development will begin to yield results in terms of employment,” he said.

Beneficiaries are based in several parts of the country, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, with locations including Sebokeng, Soshanguve, Polokwane and Umlazi.

Manamela said the programme should be expanded to communities that had not yet benefited.

“If they succeed, we have a model that we can replicate,” he said.

He also called on communities to support the trained technicians by using their services instead of opting for cheaper repairs from unqualified individuals.

“These are qualified. These have the necessary skills. Some of them have been in the trade for quite some time,” he said.

The minister said the next phase of the programme should focus on helping beneficiaries sustain and diversify their businesses, while creating more employment opportunities.

“We must not just invest into the business, but look at various possible ways of diversifying their businesses,” he said.

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Navalsig High School are the new Free State Kay Motsepe Schools Football U19 provincial champions after defeating Ntsu Secondary in a thrilling provincial final at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.

The provincial showdown over the weekend brought together 18 schools for a day of high-quality school football.

Navalsig produced the performance that mattered most, overcoming Ntsu Secondary to secure the championship and earn the right to represent the Free State at the national Kay Motsepe Schools Football Finals.

The victory was rewarded with a R150,000 cheque, trophy and gold medals.

The triumph adds another significant achievement to Navalsig’s growing football reputation. 

Earlier this year, the Bloemfontein school impressed at the Absa Wildeklawer Soccer Tournament, defeating Northwood 3-1 in the group stages. 

Now, however, their attention will turn to the national stage.

Navalsig will carry the Free State flag at the National Kay Motsepe Finals in Soshanguve from 25 to 30 September 2026, where the country’s top school teams will battle for national honours.

The prize on offer at that stage is enormous, with the U19 national champions set to receive R3 million, according to the Free State Department of Education.

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Learners currently enrolled in a National Skills Fund-funded aviation training programme are being required to temporarily return home after Flyfofa Aviation Training suspended training amid unresolved contractual and funding matters.

The NSF said on Sunday that concerns over the verification of training progress, supporting documentation for expenditure and compliance with the conditions of its funding agreement with Flyfofa had materially affected the continued implementation of the project.

“The NSF wishes to assure all affected learners and their families that it remains committed to supporting the successful completion of the learners’ aviation training and qualifications,” the fund said.

“At the same time, the NSF has a legal and fiduciary responsibility to ensure that public funds are managed responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with applicable legislation, financial regulations, and the terms of the funding agreement.”

In 2024, the NSF approved funding for an aviation training programme intended to benefit 390 learners over a 31-month period.

The NSF previously said R148 million had been approved for the Flyfofa programme, which covers Private Pilot Licence training, advanced pilot hour building, drone pilot and cabin crew training.

The 390 figure refers to the number of learners the programme was intended to benefit over its full duration.  

“Since implementation commenced in early 2025, the NSF has undertaken ongoing monitoring and verification of the programme, as required for all projects funded from public resources,” the NSF said.

“During this process, a number of material concerns and discrepancies were identified relating to project implementation, accreditation and aviation approval, reporting, expenditure, and the verification of certain training milestones.”

The NSF said it subsequently engaged Flyfofa on several occasions and requested explanations, supporting documentation and evidence to address the concerns.

It said the matters required careful assessment and due diligence, particularly where they related to the expenditure of public funds and whether payments could be supported by verified deliverables.

The NSF said concerns regarding the verification of training progress, supporting documentation for expenditure and compliance with the conditions of the funding agreement had materially affected the continued implementation of the project.

“The NSF wishes to clarify that the disruption of training did not result from a decision by the NSF to abandon learners or cancel their future training opportunities,” the NSF said.

“Flyfofa halted training during August 2026 amid unresolved contractual and funding matters, including requests that require further consideration through the appropriate governance processes.”

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NSF Melissa Erra said the fund could not approve additional financial commitments or variations outside established procedures simply to speed up a decision.

“The NSF cannot approve additional financial commitments or variations outside established procedures simply to expedite a decision. Any such request must be properly assessed and subjected to the necessary governance and approval processes and the NSF has undertaken this with urgency to ensure student protection,” Erra said.

The NSF expressed regret over the distress and uncertainty caused to learners and their parents, particularly regarding accommodation and the continuation of their studies.

It said it had intervened after learners faced an immediate risk of eviction from accommodation provided through a third party appointed by Flyfofa.

The fund engaged relevant parties to prevent the immediate eviction of learners during August while internal processes relating to outstanding training matters were being addressed by Flyfofa.

Following Flyfofa’s continued suspension of training, the NSF said currently enrolled learners were required to return home temporarily while remedial and governance processes were undertaken and outstanding matters affecting the programme were resolved.

The fund said aviation industry requirements needed to be in place so that students could train safely and build flight hours.

The NSF has appointed an aviation expert to assess the programme’s progress to date and its suitability for the continuation of pilot training.

It said continuing to spend public funds on activities not linked to active and verifiable training would raise serious financial and governance concerns.

The NSF said it had a responsibility to prevent unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

“The decision to direct learners to vacate the accommodation by or before end of August 2026 is therefore intended to preserve available funding for the learners’ actual training and eventual completion of the programme.”

The NSF confirmed that learners had received their stipends up to the end of July 2026.

“Returning home temporarily does not mean that the NSF is withdrawing its commitment to their training. On the contrary, our priority remains to find a lawful, sustainable and financially responsible way of ensuring that learners are able to complete the training for which funding was originally approved in a manner that is compliant to the aviation sector standards for their safety and licences,” Erra said.

The NSF said it was continuing processes aimed at resolving the matters affecting the Flyfofa programme within the next 30 days.

These include considering outstanding contractual and compliance issues, verifying information and engaging relevant stakeholders to determine the most appropriate way forward.

The NSF said the outcome of the process and the programme’s readiness to resume training would be communicated to learners and other stakeholders once approved by its Accounting Authority.

“Any future decisions will be guided by the need to protect the interests and future of learners while ensuring full compliance with the NSF’s governance and financial management obligations,” the NSF said.

Flyfofa did not respond to requests for comment from Inside Education.

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The University of Cape Town (UCT) Council has suspended four resolutions concerning Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela pending the outcome of his judicial review application in the Western Cape High Court.

The decision follows a special Council meeting held on Saturday to consider the legal proceedings brought by Moshabela against four resolutions adopted by Council on 30 May.

Council said it had considered legal advice on the matter before resolving to suspend the implementation of the four resolutions pending the final determination of the judicial review proceedings.

The latest development comes after an investigation whose mandate ultimately encompassed 34 complaints concerning Moshabela, according to his court papers.

Council reportedly decided against instituting disciplinary proceedings against the Vice-Chancellor following the investigation, but adopted four separate resolutions concerning him. Moshabela is challenging those four resolutions, Resolutions 3 to 6, in court. The separate resolution not to institute disciplinary proceedings is not part of his challenge.

The dispute has also brought renewed attention to complaints recorded by UCT’s Ombud, Nashira Abrahams.

According to Moshabela’s court papers, UCT Council member Malcolm Campbell informed the Vice-Chancellor on 30 June 2025 that the Ombud had received 21 complaints from staff relating to his “interactions with them”.

By December 2025, the Ombud had recorded 39 visits by staff and students concerning Moshabela, with eight matters marked as closed and 31 as open.

The court documents caution that these 39 recorded visits do not necessarily represent 39 different complainants.

Six of the open matters were categorised as three sexual harassment complaints, two complaints relating to discrimination based on culture and one relating to discrimination based on gender.

Council adopted a resolution on 14 February 2026 mandating that the 31 open matters be formally investigated.

UCT has said that it is constrained in what it can disclose publicly because of confidentiality obligations relating to matters before the Ombud and Council, as well as the ongoing court proceedings.

In its statement issued following Saturday’s meeting, Council said it would first follow the preliminary processes prescribed by the Rules of Court and await Moshabela’s supplementation of his court papers before deciding whether to oppose the review application.

Council also confirmed that it was willing to participate in mediation in an effort to resolve the dispute.

The decision to suspend the four resolutions means that the measures adopted by Council on 30 May will not be implemented while Moshabela’s legal challenge is before the High Court.

Council said its decision was intended to ensure that the litigation is handled in an “orderly, fair and legally appropriate manner”.

Council chairperson Norman Arendse said the governing body remained committed to protecting the rights of all parties involved, including UCT officers and institutions and the office of the Ombud.

“Council remains committed to acting in the best interests of UCT and to discharging its governance responsibilities in accordance with the law, the principles of fairness and accountability, and the values of the university,” Arendse said.

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The University of the Free State (UFS) has ceremonially handed back to the South African Academy for Science and the Arts (SAAWK) an archival collection documenting more than a century of the Akademie’s history and its role in the development of Afrikaans language, literature, the arts and science, as the two institutions move to digitise the material for wider research access.

Established in Bloemfontein in 1909, the SAAWK has played a significant role in the development and standardisation of Afrikaans in the fields of language, literature, the arts and, later, science and technology.

More than a century after its establishment, the Akademie’s archival collection is entering a new phase as the institutions collaborate on its digitisation, creating wider access to material that has been preserved at the UFS for more than 50 years.

The collection was entrusted to the UFS under an agreement concluded between the two institutions in 1972. Since then, the university has been responsible for its safekeeping, preservation, arrangement, description and access for research.

On 13 August 2026, the UFS and SAAWK marked the next stage of their longstanding relationship with the ceremonial handover of the collection and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement that will facilitate continued collaboration on its digitisation.

For SAAWK Chief Executive Officer Dr Annelise de Vries, the collection provides an important window into the Akademie’s history and the development of Afrikaans as a language capable of carrying scholarship and scientific knowledge.

“The collection gives us an opportunity to look at the history of language planning and how Afrikaans developed into a language that could be used in science and scholarship,” she said.

“By making this material accessible through digitisation, we can create new opportunities for research and for understanding that history.”

The digitisation project is expected to take the collection beyond the confines of its physical archive, allowing researchers and students to engage more easily with material that has historically been primarily accessible through the University’s archival facilities.

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at UFS, described the occasion as an important milestone for both institutions.

“This event is historic and important,” Reddy said.

“The Akademie Collection is more than a collection. It is both a record of our intellectual past and a resource that will help shape responsible societal futures.”

Reddy said the partnership also demonstrated how heritage and scholarship could be brought together to support future knowledge creation.

“It is also about strengthening a partnership that connects heritage, scholarship, and future knowledge creation with one of our oldest Science Councils,” he said.

“I see this digitisation initiative as an investment in future scholarship, opening new pathways for research, discovery, and public engagement.”

For the UFS Library and Information Services (LIS), caring for the collection over the past five decades has involved balancing preservation with the need to make the material accessible to researchers.

Charlie Molepo, Head of Research and Scholarly Communications at LIS, said the responsibility of preserving such a significant collection was substantial.

“It’s quite a huge responsibility, because we had to make sure that the collection is preserved in an environment that is sustainable for its long-term preservation, while also making sure that it is accessible for research, both locally and internationally,” Molepo said.

LIS has developed metadata to make the collection more discoverable and introduced measures aimed at protecting the archival material from natural and human-made disasters.

Digitisation will add another layer of preservation while significantly expanding access.

“Digitisation opens up new opportunities for access, because researchers all over the world can easily access the collection, and our students can also access it,” Molepo said.

“It also allows us to preserve it because, as technology and software change, we need to be able to adapt to those changes.”

The project also highlights the evolving relationship between the UFS and SAAWK. Rather than simply transferring responsibility for the collection, the two institutions are continuing to work together to determine how the archive can be used to support research, teaching and scholarship.

Molepo said the collaboration could create opportunities for increased research activity at the University, including postgraduate work.

“Ultimately, it opens up new opportunities for the University to have more research within the institution, whether through collaboration or supervision of postgraduate students, because the Academy also has a lot of excellent researchers,” he said.

The significance of the collection therefore extends beyond its value as a historical archive. Its digitisation could create opportunities for researchers to revisit the history of Afrikaans, language planning, scholarship and the intellectual development of South Africa through primary archival material.

For students and academics, increased digital access could also make it easier to incorporate the collection into research and teaching, while allowing scholars outside South Africa to engage with material previously accessible primarily through the physical archive.

According to the university, the handover marks a significant transition for a collection that has spent more than five decades in the care of the UFS.

Reddy said the institutions’ responsibility was not simply to protect the past, but to ensure that the archive continued to contribute to contemporary scholarship.

“Our responsibility is not only to safeguard the archives, but to activate them as living resources for learning, research, and public understanding,” he said.

“When we preserve knowledge and make it accessible, we create opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and lasting societal impact.”

Through the digitisation partnership, the UFS and SAAWK are seeking to ensure that an archive built over more than a century does not remain confined to history books or physical shelves, but continues to inform research and scholarship.

“Together, the UFS and SAAWK are building a legacy that honours the past, enriches the present, and inspires future generations of scholars,” Reddy said.

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Two weeks into a Mechanical Engineering degree at Wits University, Thiofhi Muthikhitha realised he was studying for the wrong career.

A classroom exercise asking new students to reflect on whether their chosen fields matched their backgrounds prompted Muthikhitha to reconsider a life already deeply rooted in farming.

“That session completely changed my life. Soon after I narrated my story, it suddenly dawned on me that growing up in a village where I was assisting my parents in practicing farming successfully without any academically acquired skills and knowledge, agriculture would have been my natural choice for a field of further education,” Muthikhitha said.

He abandoned Mechanical Engineering and enrolled for an Agricultural Engineering degree at the University of Venda, where the course had just been introduced. He became its first and only student for that academic year.

Years later, Muthikhitha holds a doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, runs agricultural consultancy Agricre — short for Agriculture and Rural Engineers — and owns a 27-hectare macadamia farm near Makhado in Limpopo.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), which profiled Muthikhitha this week, said the entrepreneur had built a business spanning agricultural consulting, farming, agro-processing and exports.

“It has been a long journey, but I am grateful that everything I went through has been worth its while. My trials and tribulations, and labour of love for what I believed in and am passionate about, have yielded good returns. I always tell people that agriculture found me,” Muthikhitha said.

After establishing Agricre, he spent several years helping macadamia, avocado and honey farmers connect with markets.

His business took a significant step forward in 2022 when he partnered with British conservation charity Rainforest Concern to establish a foundation aimed at training farmers in sustainable fruit-production methods.

“Through the foundation we managed to bring together 53 subtropical fruit farmers around the Vhembe district in Limpopo and trained them on productive and sustainable farming methods. We also used Radio Phalaphala to extend our training to a wide range of farmers. At one point our 30-minute educational programme that was broadcast at 4:30 in the morning had 54 000 listeners,” Muthikhitha said.

The initiative later developed into a commercial opportunity for Agricre.

“Our work as a foundation developed into a business deal in which our business, Agricre marketed fruits produced by farmers that we had developed into sustainable and profitable farmers,” he said.

A further opportunity opened in 2023 when the dtic assisted Muthikhitha to spend three weeks in Germany through the Partnering in Business with Germany Programme.

The programme, a partnership between the dtic and the German government through the German Corporation for International Cooperation, commonly known as GIZ, is aimed at promoting trade and investment links between Germany and South Africa by training and mentoring emerging South African exporters seeking access to the German market.

“While in Germany I had successful negotiations with representatives of Rewe, a supermarket chain in Germany with around 3 800 stores across the country. We subsequently clinched a deal with their distributor that saw us exporting 518 tonnes of macadamia nuts to Germany, with the help of mainly the small-scale farmers that we had worked with,” Muthikhitha said.

The deal convinced him of the commercial potential of macadamias and prompted him to buy his farm near Makhado.

According to the dtic, the 27-hectare property has 11,700 macadamia trees with a production capacity of 37 tonnes of nuts. It employs six people permanently and as many as 20 seasonal workers.

“I realised that macadamia is the bestselling product of all the subtropical fruits in our area. The agroprocessing part is even more profitable, hence we have quickly moved into processing the nuts and producing pure macadamia nuts oil that is flying off our shelves,” he said.

Agricre has expanded beyond selling raw nuts into processing macadamia oil through cold pressing.

“There is a high demand for the oil because it is produced through cold pressing, meaning that you put the nuts in the machine and press, nothing is added. It is organic. And that is what the market is looking for. Consumers use it for cooking, skin and hair. Beauty parlours are our biggest customers,” Muthikhitha said.

The company is also trying to expand its footprint in domestic and international markets.

In October 2025, Muthikhitha participated in an exhibition in Johannesburg with dtic assistance and secured orders from Japan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, according to the department.

Agricre is now experimenting with other products derived from macadamia nuts, including milk and flour, while making use of available land on the farm for crop and vegetable production.

“We are also experimenting with new products such as milk and flour that we can produce from our macadamia nuts as part of diversifying our offerings. We are utilising the space available on the farm for crash crops and vegetable production that my wife, Mashudu, who is our sales manager, is responsible for. We are happy to be making a modest contribution in creating employment for the people of Makhado, and it is our plan to grow this company and create more job opportunities,” Muthikhitha said.

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North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has appointed Dr Sebonta Francinah Desbo Mohono as the province’s new MEC for Education, replacing Viola Motsumi following a cabinet reshuffle.

Mohono, the former Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, was sworn in on Friday and takes over the education portfolio with learners and schools engaged in examinations.

The North West Department of Education said the appointment marked a significant transition and that Mohono brought experience in education, organised labour, public administration and political leadership to the role.

Mokgosi said the appointment was important for the province’s education fraternity, including parents, learners, educators, principals and the broader education community.

“Premier Mokgosi emphasised that Dr Mohono is no stranger to the education sector, having served as a teacher and as a shop steward within the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU),” the department said.

“Her experience has afforded her a deep understanding of the various dynamics within the education environment, including teaching, management, organised labour, and politics.”

The department said Mokgosi was confident Mohono’s appointment would bring stability and progress while strengthening its ability to respond to the needs of communities across the province.

Mokgosi also acknowledged the contribution of Motsumi, saying Mohono would take over and build on the work undertaken during her predecessor’s tenure.

“Accepting her new responsibility, Dr Mohono said she did not take lightly the significant responsibility entrusted to her,” the department said.

“She called on the entire education community to offer their support and work collectively with her to advance the province’s education agenda.”

Mohono committed herself to building on existing programmes and initiatives aimed at improving the quality of education and supporting learners, educators and communities.

The department said she stressed that its success would depend on cooperation between educators, principals, parents, learners, labour unions and education officials.

“She said the transition must therefore be managed with the necessary focus and stability to ensure that learners remain supported during this important period in the academic calendar,” the department said.

“Her appointment brings to the Education Department a leader with first-hand experience of the classroom, organised labour, public institutions, and political leadership.”

The department said Mohono’s experience positioned her to engage with the range of stakeholders involved in the province’s education system.

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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board says its immediate focus will be on stabilising the student funding scheme and strengthening governance after a Pretoria High Court ruling suspended the appointment of administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula and reinstated the board.

“The NSFAS Board will resume its duties with immediate effect and will focus on stabilising the institution, strengthening governance, and fulfilling its statutory mandate to provide financial assistance to eligible students across South Africa,” it said in a statement.

The court on Friday interdicted Mathebula from continuing as NSFAS administrator pending the finalisation of Part B of the board members’ application, which seeks to have Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela’s decisions to dissolve the board, place NSFAS under administration and appoint Mathebula as administrator reviewed and set aside.

Manamela dissolved the NSFAS board and appointed Mathebula as administrator in May.

The board welcomed the interim relief and its return to NSFAS’s governance structures.

“The NSFAS Board welcomes [Friday’s] judgment of the Pretoria High Court granting interim relief suspending the appointment of the NSFAS Administrator and reinstating the Board pending the final determination of Part B of the review application,” it said.

It said it had noted concerns and issues that had emerged publicly about the institution and would address them as a priority.

It said that where wrongdoing, misconduct or unlawful conduct was identified, appropriate action would be taken in accordance with the law and applicable governance processes.

“The Board further reaffirms its commitment to working constructively with the Minister of Higher Education and Training and all relevant stakeholders in addressing the challenges facing NSFAS and the broader higher education sector.”

The board said it would not comment further on the litigation while Part B remained before the court.

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