The South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Tuesday issued a Level 6 warning for disruptive rain across parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with flooding, infrastructure damage and major traffic disruption possible.  

The warning is valid from midday on Tuesday until midday on Wednesday.

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Affected areas include Big Five Hlabisa-Hluhluwe, eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Mtubatuba, Ray Nkonyeni, Umdoni, uMhlathuze, uMlalazi and Umzumbe.

“Persistent rainfall is expected along the coast and adjacent interior, which may lead to flooding of roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure and mud-based houses today and tomorrow,” the weather service said in its warning.

A cut-off low over South Africa’s southern interior and a ridging high-pressure system south of the country were drawing moisture over KwaZulu-Natal.

These systems were expected to bring scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers across the province on Tuesday, although conditions would be more isolated in the extreme north.

Scattered showers and thundershowers were also forecast for Wednesday, with isolated activity expected in the extreme north-east.

The weather service warned that significant rainfall could flood roads, bridges and formal and informal settlements, while fast-flowing streams and deep water could pose a danger to life.

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Major roads could become flooded, severely disrupting traffic, while water, electricity and communication services could also be affected. Mud-based houses may be damaged.

Residents were urged to avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams where the water was above ankle height.

Motorists trapped in vehicles during flooding should abandon them and move to higher ground. People inside buildings were advised to move valuables above the anticipated flood level and switch off electricity at the supply point.

Those in rural areas were advised to protect or relocate animals to safer ground.

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The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) officially launched the first day of the 2026 Mandela Day Career Development Festival at Umyezo Wama Apile High School in Grabouw, Western Cape, on Monday.

The event brought together about 2,000 learners for a day of career guidance, inspiration and direct access to post-school education and training opportunities.

According to the department, the festival is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions about their future careers by connecting them with universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and industry partners.

Speaking at the event, District Coordinator for the Senior and FET Phase Yugoalsav Kudiyarov welcomed learners, educators and education stakeholders, highlighting the collaboration between government, higher education institutions and industry in expanding access to career development opportunities.

He acknowledged the contribution of SETAs, universities, TVET colleges and industry partners in making the festival possible before officially declaring the 2026 Mandela Day Career Development Festival open.

Addressing learners, Letshego Mokeki, Director for Career Development Services at DHET, encouraged them to embrace every educational opportunity available to them.

Drawing inspiration from the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Mokeki described education as a powerful catalyst for personal growth, social transformation and economic opportunity.

He urged learners to remain committed to their studies and make choices that would help them build meaningful careers and contribute positively to their communities.

He reminded learners that the decisions they make today could shape the opportunities available to them in the future.

DHET Assistant Director for Career Development Services Sibongile Hlongwane provided practical guidance on selecting school subjects and career pathways that align with learners’ interests, strengths and aspirations.

She also encouraged learners to submit applications for post-school education opportunities as early as possible, explore available financial aid and funding support, and make use of the department’s career development services to help them navigate their transition from school to higher education, skills training and the world of work.

Throughout the festival, learners engaged directly with representatives from universities, TVET colleges, SETAs and industry, gaining first-hand information on academic programmes, bursaries, student funding, scarce skills and career pathways across various sectors.

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Parents applying for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placements at Gauteng public schools for the 2027 academic year will be able to submit applications from 5 August, with the Gauteng Department of Education urging families to apply early as demand for school places continues to grow.

Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile announced on Monday that the online admissions system will open at 8am next week on Wednesday, and close at midnight on  4 September.

Maile said Gauteng’s public education system now serves more than 2.4 million learners across 2,111 schools, with enrolment increasing by more than 23,000 learners between 2025 and 2026 alone.

“Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that applications for admission to Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2027 academic year will officially open at 08h00 on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, and close at 00h00 (midnight) on Friday, 4 September 2026,” Maile said.

He urged parents to avoid waiting until the last minute.

“We encourage every parent and legal guardian to apply as early as possible, submit authentic supporting documents, follow every step of the application process carefully and make full use of the Department’s official support services whenever assistance is required.”

Parents will be required to complete a five-step application process, including registering their details, capturing the learner’s information, applying to between three and five schools, and submitting supporting documents within seven school days of applying. Registration alone will not be regarded as a completed application.

The department also reminded parents that Grade R learners are not automatically promoted to Grade 1 and must also apply through the online admissions system. Applications for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 to 12 must still be made directly to schools.

Maile warned parents against submitting fraudulent documents or paying anyone who promises to secure a school place.

“No public school place in Gauteng is for sale. The Gauteng Department of Education does not charge any fee for assisting parents with online admissions, and every official support service remains completely free,” he said.

The department said proof of residence remains one of the most important documents required during the admissions process, as it is used to verify feeder zones and allocate learners fairly. It warned that fraudulent proof of residence could lead to applications being rejected and criminal action being taken.

To assist parents, the department has set up 48 walk-in centres, including all district offices, its head office and public schools across Gauteng, where officials will help with the online application process.

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Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has defended the province’s school feeder zone policy, saying it is needed to manage severe overcrowding as thousands of new learners continue to enter Gauteng’s public education system each year.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Maile rejected claims that the online admissions system limits parents’ freedom to choose schools, saying the province simply does not have enough space to accommodate every learner at their preferred school.

He said Gauteng’s public schools have grown from about 1.4 million learners in 1995 to more than 2.4 million today, placing enormous pressure on existing infrastructure.

“We’ve got 50,000 people every year coming to Gauteng,” Maile said.

“As we speak today, there’s 2.4 million in public schools. This is not a small matter. We are dealing with a very, very difficult situation. It’s not easy to manage public schools in Gauteng.”

Maile was responding to concerns that the feeder zone system disadvantages learners who want to attend schools outside their communities, particularly former Model C schools.

He said no learner was prevented from applying to schools outside their area, but government had to prioritise learners who lived closest to schools because of limited capacity.

“If Bryanston High takes 1,200 learners and already has 1,400 learners, what must Bryanston High do? Continue admitting more learners because somebody has freedom of choice?” he asked.

“The next thing you’ll be writing stories that classes are overcrowded and that government is irresponsible.”

Maile also rejected suggestions that township schools offered inferior education.

“This thing of trying to create an impression that township schools are dysfunctional has to be challenged with facts,” he said.

“We can give you facts about the good work that educators who are in these schools are doing.”

The department said overcrowding remains one of its biggest challenges, with only one of Gauteng’s 15 education districts not experiencing overcrowding pressures.

Maile said overcrowding across the province currently stood at 64% and estimated that Gauteng would need about 200 new schools, at a cost of R35 billion, to address the problem.

“These are the realities. The problem is big and that’s why we are asking the public to cooperate and help us deal with the issue,” he said.

The department’s Chief Director for School Management, Mmule Madonsela, said the admissions regulations require schools to prioritise applicants who live closest to them because learners should ideally be able to walk to school.

“The regulations are saying we will prioritise applicants who live closest to the school because we want learners to walk to school. We don’t want learners to be in taxis and buses travelling long distances,” she said.

Madonsela added that parents still had several options when applying, including schools within 30 kilometres of their home, schools near their workplace and schools beyond the 30-kilometre radius, subject to available space.

She said learner placements ultimately depended on each school’s approved capacity.

“You can’t place beyond a capacity. If for Grade 8 you only have 100 spaces, you have 100 spaces and you’re going to place 100 learners. You can’t really place 200 learners,” she said.

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Stellantis South Africa has partnered with Social Coding South Africa to equip learners and teachers in underserved communities with the digital skills needed for an increasingly technology-driven economy, with the programme set to begin reaching beneficiaries in early 2027.

The automotive company has launched a mobile computer lab that will deliver coding, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) training to schools with limited access to technology.

The initiative forms part of Stellantis Philanthropy, the company’s global programme that supports education, youth development and expanded access to opportunities through sustainable community investment.

The programme aims to build long-term digital capacity by training teachers and certifying young facilitators to continue delivering digital education within their communities.

The lab is designed to overcome transport and infrastructure challenges by bringing digital learning directly to schools.

Beginning in early 2027, the programme will roll out to beneficiary schools, where Grade 8 and 9 learners will receive practical training in coding, robotics, AI and digital literacy, while teachers will be equipped to integrate technology into classroom teaching.

Young people participating in the programme will also receive facilitator training and digital skills certification, with selected participants gaining paid work experience to support the expansion of the initiative.

Learners will have opportunities to compete in national and international robotics competitions, exposing them to global innovation and strengthening their competitiveness in the growing digital economy.

In a press release, Head of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa at Stellantis, Sizwekazi Mdingi, said investing in digital skills is critical to creating long-term social and economic opportunities.

 “At Stellantis, we believe that access to skills and opportunities is key to unlocking long-term social and economic progress. Through Stellantis Philanthropy, we support initiatives that help young people build their future and strengthen their communities,” she said.

“Our partnership with Social Coding South Africa reflects this commitment by equipping learners and educators with digital skills that can open doors to future opportunities.”

Founder of Social Coding South Africa, Thembiso Magajana, said the partnership would help bridge the digital divide by making technology education accessible to communities that have traditionally been excluded.

“With Stellantis behind us, our mobile lab can reach learners, teachers and young facilitators who are too often left out of the digital economy and show them that coding, robotics and AI are within their reach. Because we train facilitators and equip teachers, the skills remain in the community long after the lab moves on,” he said.

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UCT Online High School says it has received the highest number of applications in its history as thousands of South African families continue to struggle to secure places for their children in traditional high schools.

The school announced on Monday that it had received more than 19,000 applications for Grades 8 to 12 for the 2026 academic year, the highest number since it was launched in 2021.

It said the record interest reflected increasing pressure on parents who are unable to secure placements in brick-and-mortar schools or are seeking alternative education options.

Head of Admissions Judith Nshimba said the school had prepared months in advance for the admissions process but had experienced far greater demand than expected.

“The Admissions department at UCT Online High School takes pride in preparing months in advance to support families through the enrolment journey for the new academic year. This year, as many parents continue to face challenges with placement or find their current schools no longer a good fit, we’ve seen growing interest in transitioning from traditional classrooms to online learning,” Nshimba said.

She said the number of applications had exceeded the school’s expectations.

“The growing interest was higher than what we anticipated receiving. Even now, we continue to receive queries from parents eager for their children to begin this year still as part of our 2026 intake, reflecting the urgency many families feel in securing a seat for their child.”

Nshimba said many families viewed online schooling as a practical solution amid the country’s ongoing school placement challenges.

“In the midst of South Africa’s schooling crisis, UCT Online High School has become the choice for families seeking flexibility, affordability, and quality education – all from the comfort of home for the 2026 academic year. For parents, this means peace of mind, and for learners, a structured environment where they can take ownership of their education at a structured pace with set deadlines designed for success.”

The school said the record number of applications highlighted the broader challenges facing the education sector, where limited school capacity, infrastructure constraints and delayed placement processes have left many parents searching for alternatives.

It pointed to the Western Cape, where the provincial education department has already processed the first round of placement confirmations for the 2027 academic year following the closure of applications on 15 June. 

According to the school, thousands of families remain without confirmed placements, while many others are “double-parked” on the admissions system after receiving multiple provisional offers or rejections.

UCT Online High School said more than 40,000 learners in the province routinely find themselves in this position, adding that school holidays had further delayed placement activity and increased anxiety among parents.

The school said online education, once regarded as a niche option, was increasingly becoming an accepted alternative for learners who required greater flexibility while still studying a fully accredited CAPS curriculum.

It said its learners came from across South Africa, including rural and under-resourced communities, demonstrating how online learning could extend access to quality education beyond geographical barriers.

However, the school stressed that online schools were not intended to replace the public education system.

“Importantly, online schools do not replace public education. They complement it – absorbing excess demand, offering alternatives where physical placement is unavailable, and providing options for learners who thrive in flexible, digitally enabled environments.”

UCT Online High School said the surge in applications should be viewed as more than institutional growth.

“The record number of applications is not merely institutional growth, but a reflection of the mounting demand for accessible schooling solutions amid ongoing placement challenges nationwide.”

The school said applications for both the 2026 and 2027 academic years remain open.

The institution also highlighted the performance of its 2025 matric class, saying top learner Don Lyons achieved an average of more than 90% with six distinctions and was recognised among the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute’s top three candidates nationally.

Another learner, Shoeshoe Katleho Tholoana Mahlaku, achieved 100% in Mathematics, while Boikanyo Legote received recognition for achieving 94% in Economics. The school said its top 25 matric learners collectively earned more than 600 subject distinctions.

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Antalyaspor JPM CT and RV United were crowned the 2026 Engen Knockout Challenge Cape Town champions after winning their respective finals on penalties at Erica Park Sports Ground in Belhar on Sunday.

The Under-18 boys’ and Under-20 girls’ finals were played after being postponed for four weeks because of severe weather on 28 June.

Antalyaspor JPM CT secured their first Engen Knockout Challenge boys’ title by defeating Ubuntu Football Academy 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the teams drew 1-1 in regulation time.

The victory capped the club’s rise through the Cape Town competition and secured its place at the 2026 Engen Champ of Champs tournament, where it will face the winners of the other regional competitions.

In the girls’ final, RV United defeated Cape Town Roses 4-3 on penalties after the match ended goalless.

The result ended Cape Town Roses’ run of four consecutive regional titles and gave RV United their first Engen Knockout Challenge crown since winning the inaugural Cape Town girls’ competition in 2021.

RV United join Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, winners of the Gauteng girls’ competition, and KwaZulu-Natal champions Toti Ladies among the teams that have qualified for the national tournament.

The 2026 Engen Champ of Champs tournament is scheduled to take place from 1 to 4 October at the Tuks High Performance Centre in Pretoria.

The competition will bring together the winning boys’ and girls’ teams from the regional Engen Knockout Challenge tournaments to compete for national honours.

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Two Cape Winelands school learners have won an international research award for projects examining the use of artificial intelligence to detect tuberculosis and the ability of homemade masks to filter airborne micro-organisms.

Maria Manwadu, a Grade 11 learner at Somerset High School, and Reananetse Mbizo, a Grade 12 learner at Masakheke Combined School in Robertson, received the Research Excellence Award at the International Children’s Advisory Network Summit in Ireland.

The learners competed against youth research groups linked to institutions including University College Dublin, Case Western and Walter Reed University, according to the University of Cape Town.

Manwadu presented a study titled, “Can artificial intelligence detect TB from a single chest X-ray?”, while Mbizo’s project examined the “Filtration efficiency of homemade masks against airborne micro-organisms”.

Manwadu was mentored by South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative researcher Dr Sarah Nyangu, while Mbizo was mentored by Dr Carly Young-Bailie.

The learners are members of the Youth Research Advisory Group (YRAG) linked to the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative at UCT. The programme works with learners from Somerset High School, Touwsriver Primary School and Masakheke Combined School.

It is supported by a grant from the UCT Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine’s Social Accountability Committee, which covers research materials and equipment.

“Community engagement is too often treated as an add-on to research. We have flipped that,” said SATVI communications manager and programme coordinator Kelvin Vollenhoven, who developed the programme.

“When you give young people from a high TB-burden district a genuine seat at the research table, they don’t just learn science – they help shape the questions science should be asking.”

Through the YRAG, learners review study materials intended for adolescents, advise SATVI researchers and receive support to design and conduct their own research projects.

Scientists from SATVI and partner organisations, including iThemba LABS, the South African Medical Research Council, local environmental health officers and the Breede-Gouritz Water Council, help the learners identify research questions and guide them through the research process.

“This shows what is possible when world-class researchers partner with learners in a low-resource setting, rather than simply studying them,” Vollenhoven said.

“We have both an ethical and a moral commitment not only to conduct excellent TB research, but to grow the next tier of TB researchers from within the communities where we work.”

The international award is the latest achievement for the programme, which has been gaining momentum since 2024.

During 2024 and 2025, participating learners conducted research in fields including biology, computer science, environmental science, physics and the social sciences. They also presented their work at regional and national science exhibitions.

At the 2025 Stellenbosch Expo for Young Scientists, participating learners received one gold medal, two silver medals, a bronze medal and two special commendations. Twelve learners submitted nine projects, with some working in pairs.

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The proportion of underweight children at poorly resourced Gauteng schools doubled between 2020 and 2022, the University of Johannesburg said in a statement this week.

The findings come from a study published in The Open Public Health Journal in April.

The study found that the proportion of underweight children in the communities examined increased from 6% in 2020 to 12% in 2022, equivalent to a rise from about one in 16 children to one in eight.

Researchers examined data from 129 learners aged between five and 10 at schools with poor resources in Gauteng between 2020 and 2022.

“The doubling of underweight children is a warning sign. It suggests that many families are struggling to provide enough nutritious food in the short term, likely because of rising food prices, unemployment and the economic pressures that intensified during and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Matshidiso Sello, the study’s lead author.

The research found that boys were five times more likely to be underweight than girls and more than three times as likely to be stunted.

The study was not designed to determine the exact reasons for the difference between boys and girls, but Sello said the pattern was recognised in other research.

“Our findings are consistent with international research showing that boys may be more biologically vulnerable to nutritional and environmental stress during childhood,” she said.

Sello, a senior researcher at UJ’s Centre for Social Development in Africa in the Faculty of Humanities, said stunting and being underweight reflected different forms of nutritional vulnerability.

“Stunting indicates chronic undernutrition that develops over time,” Sello said. “Stunting is caused specifically in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, including during pregnancy.”

“On the other hand, underweight indicates that the child is not getting enough food or has recently experienced illness, which is affecting their weight,” she said.

While the number of underweight children doubled, the study found that stunting declined between 2020 and 2022.

Sello said the decline suggested that long-term investments in child health and nutrition, social protection and school nutrition programmes might have had a positive effect. However, she said the rise in underweight children pointed to a gap in the support available to low-income families.

“For families and health workers, underweight can be an early warning signal that households are under severe economic stress. Detecting it early allows for early interventions before children experience more serious health and developmental consequences.”

Sello said inadequate nutrition could also affect children’s classroom participation and academic performance.

“Nutrition is one of the foundations of early childhood development,” she said.

“A child who receives adequate nutrition is more likely to be healthy, attentive in class and able to learn effectively. Poor nutrition can reduce concentration, memory and energy levels, making it more difficult for children to participate in classroom activities, keep up with lessons and perform academically. Over time, this can increase the risk of absenteeism and grade repetition.”

The consequences could extend beyond a child’s school years, Sello said.

“Children who are healthier and better educated are more likely to complete school, access employment opportunities and become economically productive adults.”

The study also found high unemployment and high levels of depressive symptoms among caregivers.

“For many children, the school becomes the only place where they receive a nutritious meal,” Sello said.

She said schools could also be used to monitor children’s growth and identify those who were underweight.

“School is also the best place to do regular growth monitoring and identify underweight children early. For this, a stronger collaboration between local clinics and schools is needed,” she said.

Sello said the Child Support Grant of R580 was below the food poverty line of R855 and called for child nutrition to be treated as an investment.

“I hope policymakers will view child nutrition as a long-term investment rather than simply a social expenditure,” she said. “This means continuing to strengthen social protection, and reviewing the adequacy of the Child Support Grant in relation to the cost of a basic nutritious diet. We need to be protecting and expanding school nutrition programmes, and improving coordination between the health, education and social development sectors.”

“Too often, nutrition surveillance focuses on younger children, yet our findings show that early grade learners remain vulnerable,” Sello said.

“Ensuring that every child has access to adequate nutrition reduces hunger. It also gives every child the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

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West Coast TVET College has launched a Campus Community Safety Forum aimed at preventing crime, tackling gender-based violence and strengthening cooperation between students, police, college management and surrounding communities.

The two-day launch at the college’s Vredenburg campus brought together the South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Higher Education and Training, college management, student leaders and community stakeholders.

The second day of the launch, held on Friday, included the formalisation of a multi-stakeholder pledge to improve campus safety through collaboration, prevention and shared accountability.

The pledge commits all stakeholders to maintaining a safe and secure environment for students and staff, acting with integrity and vigilance, complying with campus safety procedures, supporting crime prevention initiatives and fostering an inclusive environment where students can thrive academically and personally.

It also places a strong emphasis on tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), in line with South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBVF and the government’s call for a coordinated, society-wide response to the crisis.

Delivering the keynote address, Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape Major General Luyanda Damoyi said the forum represented a collective commitment to protecting young people and ensuring that campuses remained spaces where students could pursue their education without fear.

“What makes today significant is that it brings together people from different sectors who all share a common goal – creating an environment where students can focus on their studies, pursue their ambitions and realise their potential without having to worry about their safety,” he said.

Damoyi said college campuses should be places where lifelong friendships were built, careers began and dreams took shape, adding that students deserved to feel protected, respected and supported throughout their academic journeys.

He acknowledged that institutions of higher learning continued to face many of the same challenges affecting communities across the country, including theft, violence, substance abuse and other criminal activities.

“As the South African Police Service, we have a constitutional responsibility to create a safe and secure environment for all who live in our country. We know, however, that safety cannot be achieved through policing alone. The most effective crime prevention happens when communities, institutions and law enforcement work together,” Damoyi said.

He described the forum as a proactive intervention focused on preventing crime before it occurred by identifying risks early, strengthening partnerships and developing practical solutions.

Addressing students directly, Damoyi encouraged them to play an active role in building a safer campus culture by reporting criminal activity, supporting one another and making responsible decisions.

“No safety structure can succeed without the involvement of those it is intended to serve. We need you to become active participants in creating a safer campus environment,” he said.

The launch also featured a SAPS career exhibition showcasing opportunities in forensic science, investigations, technology, communications, administration and community engagement.

Damoyi said the forum’s success would not be measured by its launch, but by the impact it delivered in the months and years ahead.

“It will be reflected in stronger partnerships, safer campuses, improved communication and meaningful interventions that benefit students and staff alike,” he said.

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The Department of Basic Education has presented special ministerial recognition for the collective achievement of all 75 education districts after each recorded a National Senior Certificate pass rate above 80% in the 2025 examinations.

The recognition was announced during the 12th National Education Excellence Awards held in Johannesburg on Friday. The department also unveiled a partnership with Canva for Education that will give teachers and learners free access to the platform’s educational tools.

Canva Africa Lead Bianca Sibiya said the partnership would provide educators with digital resources, practical training and continued support.

The 2025 result was the first time in South Africa’s democratic history that all 75 education districts had simultaneously achieved an NSC pass rate above 80%.

The ceremony celebrated excellence across the basic education sector, recognising outstanding districts, schools and education leaders for academic performance, improvement, innovation and effective school support.

Among the evening’s highlights was the announcement of the top-performing districts based on the percentage of bachelor passes achieved in the 2025 NSC examinations.

Johannesburg West Education District claimed first place, followed by Umlazi Education District in second place and Tshwane South Education District in third.

Sarah Baartman Education District was named the country’s most improved district, ahead of John Taolo Gaetsewe Education District and Bohlabela Education District.

Outstanding public secondary schools were also recognised across all quintiles to ensure fair comparison between schools operating with different levels of resources.

In Quintile 1, Magotshwa Secondary School secured first place, followed by Highveld Secondary School and Macingwane Secondary School.

Mshadza Secondary School topped the Quintile 2 category, with Moreko Secondary School finishing second and Xolilizwe Secondary School taking third place.

The Centre of Science and Technology claimed top honours in Quintile 3, ahead of Dendron Secondary School and Soqhayisa Senior Secondary School.

Menzi High School led the Quintile 4 category, followed by Potchefstroom Gimnasium and Hoërskool Middelburg.

In Quintile 5, Anton Lembede MST Academy was named the top-performing school, with Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof and Westerford High School taking second and third places respectively.

The awards also recognised schools that excelled in inclusion, learner support and the maintenance of school facilities.

Dannhauser Primary Full-Service School was named the country’s leading full-service school, followed by Trio Primary Full-Service School and Mandela Park Full-Service School.

In the primary school facilities category, Jonguhlanga Primary School received top honours, with Floradene Primary School and Thandanani Primary School also recognised for maintaining high-quality learning environments.

Mvenyane Secondary School won the secondary school facilities category, ahead of !Xunkhwesa Combined School and Vredendal Secondary School.

Metro Central Education District was recognised for excellence in district support for primary learning outcomes. It was followed by uMgungundlovu Education District and the Free State’s Mangaung Metro Education District.

The awards acknowledged districts that had implemented effective strategies to strengthen Grade R practices and improve reading outcomes from Grade R to Grade 6.

Closing the ceremony, Director-General Mathanzima Mweli challenged the top-performing district to build on its achievement by striving for an NSC pass rate of 90% or higher.

“True excellence is measured not by surpassing others, but by continually surpassing yesterday’s achievements,” he said.

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Colt Gray, 16, entered the plea Friday without having reached a deal with prosecutors. He had previously pleaded not guilty to charges in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting that also left several others wounded, at the high school about 45 miles (73 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult with the 55 total counts, including murder in the four deaths and 25 counts of aggravated assault. His trial had been scheduled to start in mid-October.

A jury in March convicted his father, Colin Gray, on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, and he is scheduled to be sentenced next week. Prosecutors said the elder Gray gave his son the assault-style rifle used to open fire at the school.

Teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, died in the shooting. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire.

Plea means teen faces life in prison

Before accepting the plea, Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm asked Gray a series of questions meant to ensure that the teenager was aware of the consequences of his plea and was entering it voluntarily. To each question, Gray responded, “Yes, your honor.”

Because he pleaded guilty to murder, Gray faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The judge must decide whether he should be eligible for parole after hearing victim statements, evidence and each side’s summary of the case.

Gray sat at a table in the courtroom with his feet chained together next to his attorney. Members of the community, including some victims and family members, were present in the courtroom.

Victim on Colt Gray: ‘Those decisions were his and his alone’

Breanna Schermerhorn, whose son Mason was killed, told the judge she does not forgive Colt Gray. She said that while adults around him missed multiple warning signs, he was the one who decided to bring a gun to school and to pull the trigger.

“Those decisions were his and his alone,” she said.

She described her son as someone who “made people that were typically unseen feel seen, accepted and safe” and said she was confident he would have befriended Colt Gray if he’d had the chance.

“Mason deserved a future and we all deserved a future with Mason in it, and Colt took that from Mason and everyone who loved him,” she said. She and two of Mason’s sisters asked the judge for a sentence of life without parole.

Shayna Aspinwall, Richard Aspinwall’s wife, told the judge the “grief of losing him is constant” and lamented that the lives of their daughters, who were 2 and 5 when their father died, will be “forever marked by his absence.”

“It is a life sentence of grief and trauma for those left behind,” she said. She asked the judge to sentence Colt Gray to life in prison without the possibility of parole, saying she didn’t want herself and her daughters to have to endure multiple parole hearings.

A teenage student who was shot recalled that day, telling the judge she remembered feeling “really scared and confused because I saw Colt standing in the door with a gun.” The Associated Press is not identifying the girl, who is a minor.

She said she realized she had been shot and turned to a friend, asking him to hold her hand. She asked other friends to call her brother to let him know she’d been shot and didn’t know if she’d make it. She had trouble staying awake and regained consciousness in a helicopter on the way to a hospital in Atlanta. She had multiple surgeries and wasn’t able to walk for about a year.

“After the shooting I struggled with so much anxiety, and I felt like my life was over,” she said. She also asked the judge for a sentence of life without parole.

Apalachee High School Principal Jessica Rehberg said in court that Colt Gray’s “cruel actions” deserve “the harshest consequences.”

Gray’s defense attorney wrote in a court filing that he plans to call a psychologist, a counselor at the juvenile detention center where he has been held and his grandmother to testify.

Investigators say Colt Gray carefully plotted the shooting

Investigators have previously testified that the teenager carried the rifle onto the school bus with the barrel wrapped in a poster board. They said he left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the rifle, shooting people in a classroom and hallway.

They have said Colt Gray carefully plotted the shooting at the high school of 1,900 students.

A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified at an earlier hearing that the teen left a notebook in his classroom with step-by-step instructions and a diagram to prepare for the assault, including an estimate that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound as many as 13 others.

Sheriff’s deputies interviewed Colt and Colin Gray in May 2023 about an online threat linked to the son. Colt Gray denied making the threat. He skipped eighth grade, enrolled as a freshman at Apalachee after the academic year had begun and then had a spotty attendance record.

Investigators found a shrine in Colt Gray’s bedroom to Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors said.

An investigator testified during Colin Gray’s trial that he had been aware that his son’s mental health had deteriorated and sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, citing anger, anxiety and volatility. But the father never followed through on getting help for his son, the investigator said.

His mother, Marcee Gray, who was separated from Colin Gray, told investigators she had urged him weeks before the shooting to secure his guns and restrict their son’s access to them. Instead, over time, Colin Gray bought the boy ammunition, a gun sight and other shooting accessories, records show.

AP

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More than 50 learners from two Barberton secondary schools were given a first-hand glimpse of life behind bars during a visit to the Barberton Correctional Centre on Thursday as part of Mpumalanga’s annual School Safety Programme.

The initiative, led by the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison in partnership with the provincial Department of Education and the Department of Correctional Services, aims to deter young people from engaging in criminal activities by exposing them to the harsh realities of incarceration.

“This is a crime prevention initiative aimed at discouraging young people from engaging in criminal activities by exposing them to the harsh realities of incarceration,” the department said.

Learners from KaMhola and Ngwane secondary schools, both in the City of Mbombela, participated in the programme after being identified by the Department of Education as requiring interventions to promote discipline, safety and positive behaviour.

During the tour, learners visited different sections of the correctional facility, where they saw inmate cells, observed the meals served to prisoners and were introduced to the strict routines that govern daily prison life.

One of the most poignant moments came when inmates shared personal accounts of the decisions that led to their imprisonment and the consequences they continue to face.

“They urged the learners not to repeat their errors, warning them against joining gangs, abusing drugs or becoming involved in criminal activities,” the department said.

Officials said the programme is intended to provide learners with a realistic understanding of the consequences of crime rather than allowing perceptions to be shaped by social media or television. They believe the experience serves as a powerful deterrent to criminal behaviour.

The prison visits have become a longstanding feature of Mpumalanga’s School Safety Programme. Similar tours have been conducted at Barberton over the past decade, following the launch of the province’s School Safety Strategy in 2016 to combat school violence, gangsterism, drug abuse and other forms of learner delinquency.

Since then, the initiative has been held annually, targeting learners identified by education authorities as being in need of intervention.

Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi has previously described the programme as providing learners with “a first-hand experience of the prison” and using it “as a tool to prevent the learners from being involved in criminal activities”.

The Department of Correctional Services has also characterised the initiative as an important awareness campaign that educates learners about the criminal justice system while highlighting the consequences of crime.

Earlier this year, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, condemned incidents of school violence and urged learners to reject criminal behaviour, remain focused on their education and make responsible life choices.

Officials said they hope the prison visit will leave a lasting impression on participants and encourage them to pursue futures free from crime.

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South Africa will expand the way it measures the performance of schools and education districts, placing greater emphasis on learner retention, Bachelor passes, distinctions and participation in key subjects rather than relying primarily on the matric pass rate, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said on Friday.

Speaking in Johannesburg ahead of the 12th National Education Excellence Awards ceremony, Gwarube said the expanded approach would be applied from the 2026 National Senior Certificate results onwards.

The assessment will also consider support for learners with disabilities and progress in foundational learning, as the Department of Basic Education shifts its focus towards the quality and sustainability of educational outcomes.

“The matric pass rate remains important, but the future of our country will not be determined only by how many learners pass matric,” Gwarube said.

Her remarks came before the department was due to honour South Africa’s top-performing and most-improved education districts, schools and officials at the awards ceremony, held under the theme “Strong Foundations, Strong Futures”.

“These awards recognise people who have gone beyond meeting targets. They recognise leadership that has strengthened schools, supported teachers and changed the educational prospects of learners,” she said.

The minister said every finalist represented years of disciplined work that often went unnoticed and pointed to the performance of the Class of 2025 as evidence of progress across the education system.

South Africa recorded a national matric pass rate of 88% in 2025, the highest since the advent of democracy.

“For the first time in our democratic history, all 75 education districts achieved a matric pass rate above 80%,” Gwarube said.

“It shows that improvement is no longer limited to a small number of historically strong districts.”

However, she cautioned that pass rates could not be viewed in isolation when assessing the quality of education.

Learner retention, infrastructure, teacher support, performance in individual subjects and persistent inequalities remained significant challenges requiring sustained intervention, she said.

Gwarube said the department was consequently placing greater emphasis on strengthening early learning, particularly literacy and numeracy in the foundational grades.

More than 13,300 Early Childhood Development centres had been registered, exceeding the department’s 2025 target and expanding access to early learning services for more than 1.2 million children.

The department is also implementing compulsory Grade R and plans to train 10,000 Foundation Phase teachers in literacy and numeracy during 2026.

Other interventions include strengthening structured learning programmes, expanding literacy support in African languages and improving the delivery of quality learning and teaching support materials.

Gwarube said education districts would be central to implementing the reforms, with district directors responsible for translating national policies into improved teaching and learning in classrooms.

“The awards we present tonight recognise excellence. But they also remind us that excellence carries responsibility,” she said.

She encouraged successful districts and schools to share their methods and lessons with institutions facing greater challenges, arguing that improvements should be extended across the education system rather than remaining concentrated in high-performing areas.

The department also unveiled a partnership with Canva for Education that will give teachers and learners free access to the platform’s educational tools.

Canva Africa Lead Bianca Sibiya said the partnership would provide educators with digital resources, practical training and continued support.

“We are partnering specifically to invest in teachers and students by providing free access to powerful teaching tools, practical training and ongoing support to prepare classrooms for the future,” she said.

Sibiya said visual and interactive learning could help learners understand and retain information, while digital tools could reduce the amount of time teachers spend preparing lessons and educational materials.

The platform allows educators to create presentations, lesson plans, worksheets, videos, assessments and collaborative classroom activities.

It also includes offline functionality intended to support schools in communities where internet connectivity is limited.

Sibiya said Canva’s artificial intelligence features were designed to support educators rather than replace their role in the classroom.

“AI should never replace teachers. Canva’s AI tools help teachers save time on lesson preparation and resource creation so they can spend more time with learners,” she said.

Learners could also use the platform to create digital portfolios, develop creative and communication skills and prepare for further study, entrepreneurship and employment in the digital economy, she added.

According to Canva, its platform is used each month by more than 140 million teachers and students across 700,000 schools in more than 190 countries.

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has warned Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) that poor governance, misuse of public funds and resistance to oversight will not be tolerated, saying institutions that undermine public trust will face consequences.

Delivering the keynote address at the induction of newly appointed SETA Accounting Authorities and chief executive officers in Boksburg on Thursday, Manamela said the skills development system was entering a period of reform aimed at improving governance, accountability and performance.

He told the newly appointed boards and executives that their appointments carried significant public responsibility because SETAs controlled substantial public resources and played a key role in developing the country’s workforce.

“Your appointment is not an administrative honour. It is a public duty,” Manamela said.

“You have been entrusted with institutions that control substantial public resources, that shape the future of entire industries, and that touch the lives of millions – workers, unemployed young people, students, employers and communities.”

The minister said South Africa could not afford “another season of institutional drift, weak governance, and programmes that consume public money without producing public value.”

He said the department was implementing a broader “Skills Revolution” that would shift the focus from measuring activity to measuring outcomes such as employment, productivity and economic development.

“The Skills Revolution is not a slogan. It is a programme to reorganise the skills system around the developmental needs of the country,” he said.

Manamela stressed that SETAs should no longer see themselves as grant-disbursing agencies or procurement centres but as strategic institutions responsible for identifying skills shortages, supporting workplace learning and responding to changing labour market needs.

He also warned Accounting Authorities and executive management against governance failures, saying board members should not interfere in operational matters or use their positions to pursue personal interests.

“Board members must not use their seats to chase contracts, appointments, or the interests of those who nominated them,” he said.

“Chief Executives must not treat their boards as ceremonial.”

The minister said several SETAs had required intervention in recent years because of governance failures and investigations involving bodies such as the Special Investigating Unit, the Public Protector and the National Skills Authority.

He announced that cooperation with the National Skills Authority (NSA) would become mandatory, warning that delays, incomplete disclosure and obstruction of oversight would no longer be accepted.

“We will not tolerate delayed documents. We will not tolerate selective disclosure. We will not tolerate correspondence that goes unanswered,” Manamela said.

“Delay is not cooperation. Partial cooperation is not cooperation. And respect for lawful oversight is not optional.”

Manamela said government would support institutions that demonstrated improvement but would act against those guilty of persistent non-performance or misuse of public resources.

“Where there is obstruction, concealment, persistent non-performance, the misuse of public resources, or defiance of lawful oversight – there will be consequences,” he said.

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Team South Africa secured fourth place at the World Spelling Bee Championship in Shanghai, China, with 13-year-old North West learner Mbulelo Tolom finishing sixth overall.

The six-member South African team competed at the international championship from 13 to 20 July.

Tolom, a Grade 7 learner at Klerksdorp Primary School in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, was the youngest member of the South African team.

He competed against learners in higher grades and finished sixth in the individual competition, with the department praising his spelling ability, determination and resilience.

North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi congratulated the team on its fourth-place finish and commended its performance against international competitors.

“Allow me to congratulate Team South Africa on this exceptional achievement at an international level. Their performance demonstrates the high quality of education provided in our schools and confirms that South African learners can compete with the very best in the world,” Motsumi said.

She also praised Tolom’s individual performance, saying his age and background had not prevented him from competing successfully at the international level.

“I am also exceptionally proud of Mbulelo Tolom for achieving the sixth place overall in the World Spelling Bee Championship. As the youngest member of Team South Africa, Mbulelo competed against learners from higher grades and from some of the best schools across the world. His achievement proves that one’s background does not determine one’s destination, but that hard work, determination and commitment can lead to success,” Motsumi said.

“Mbulelo has shown that South African learners have the talent and confidence to compete on the global stage. He is an inspiration and a positive role model for many young people in the North West Province and across the country,” she added.

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The country’s best-performing and most-improved education districts and schools will be recognised at the 12th National Education Excellence Awards in Sandton on Friday, the Department of Basic Education said.

The awards, held under the theme “Strong Foundations, Strong Futures”, will recognise performance in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations, improvements in learning outcomes, district leadership and the maintenance of school facilities.

The event will be held at the NH Hotel Johannesburg in Sandton from 08:30 in partnership with Canva.

ALSO READ: EWSETA appoints Kedibone Moroane-Nkhobo as new chief executive

“Education Districts are the glue that holds the entire basic education ecosystem together,” the department said, adding that districts work with provincial education departments to improve the functioning of schools across the country.

Candidates are drawn from districts in all nine provinces.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule and Director-General Mathanzima Mweli are expected to present the awards alongside the department’s partners. The event will conclude with the presentation of a Special Ministerial Award.

District awards will include separate categories for the top-performing district serving up to 400 schools and the top-performing district serving more than 400 schools, based on their overall pass rates in the 2025 NSC examinations.

Other district categories will recognise the most improved district, the district that produced the highest number of bachelor passes and districts that recorded the strongest balance between participation and achievement in Accounting, Mathematics and Physical Science.

ALSO READ: SRCs demand end to R52,000 NSFAS accommodation cap as student debt mounts

Awards will also be presented for excellence in district leadership and management and for support provided to improve learning outcomes in primary schools.

School categories include the top-performing public ordinary school in each of the five school quintiles, based on Quality Performance Indicators applied to the 2025 NSC results.

The department will also recognise the top-performing full-service school and primary and secondary schools that have demonstrated excellence in the upkeep and maintenance of their facilities.

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The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) has appointed Kedibone Moroane-Nkhobo as its new chief executive officer, saying the appointment comes as it seeks to strengthen skills development and stakeholder partnerships in the energy and water sectors.

EWSETA said that Moroane-Nkhobo brings extensive executive leadership experience in the post-school education and training sector, particularly in research, skills planning and strategic management.

ALSO READ: SRCs demand end to R52,000 NSFAS accommodation cap as student debt mounts

“Kedibone brings more than 18 years of experience across the mining and chemical manufacturing sectors, including over a decade in executive leadership,” the organisation said.

“Her expertise spans organisational strategy, governance, institutional transformation and stakeholder collaboration. She also played a leading role in advancing South Africa’s green hydrogen ecosystem, including the establishment of Green Hydrogen Centres of Specialisation.”

“She holds an MBA from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public and Development Management.”

EWSETA said it was confident Moroane-Nkhobo’s knowledge, leadership and collaborative approach would strengthen the authority’s contribution to the sector and the communities it serves.

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EWSETA board chairperson Morwesi Ramonyai-Thonga also expressed the board’s appreciation to Robyn Vilakazi for her leadership as acting chief executive officer.

“Her stewardship, commitment and dedication have ensured continuity, organisational stability and continued delivery during this important transition,” Ramonyai-Thonga said in a statement.

“The Board remains committed to building on the strong foundation established through the collective efforts of our employees, stakeholders and partners. We look forward to working closely with Kedibone Moroane-Nkhobo as we continue to advance our shared vision of a skilled, capable and inclusive workforce that supports sustainable economic growth.”

Ramonyai-Thonga said EWSETA’s organisational values of Respect, Integrity, Teaming and Excellence, known as RITE, would continue to guide its work and relationships with those it serves.

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Students’ Representative Councils (SRCs) at four major universities have called for the R52,000 annual NSFAS accommodation cap to be scrapped, saying that funding shortfalls are driving poor and working-class students into debt and putting their studies at risk.

In a joint statement released earlier this week, SRCs from the University of Cape Town (UCT), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), University of Johannesburg (UJ), and Stellenbosch University (SU) called on the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), and the Competition Commission to urgently address the student accommodation crisis.

They said the problems were not unique to the four institutions but reflected the experiences of students at public universities across South Africa.

ALSO READ: Gungubele calls for workplace learning to close digital skills gap

Last month, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training expressed concern about accommodation funding shortfalls contributing to student debt at UCT during a briefing on governance, administration, teaching and learning, and other matters.

“UCT indicated that student accommodation cap introduced by NSFAS was reducing the number of students able to access university accommodation,” the committee said.

The committee said NSFAS introduced the cap in 2023 as a measure to prevent private accommodation providers from inflating prices.

“The problem is that there are corrupt individuals and private property owners who charge ridiculous amounts for student accommodation,” committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie said.

The committee noted that UCT absorbed the full funding shortfall on behalf of students in 2023, while the UCT SRC accused NSFAS of failing to provide clarity on whether its proposed referral of private accommodation providers to the Competition Commission had been made and what had become of it.

“The SRC said it wanted NSFAS to exempt all UCT-owned residences from the accommodation cap,” the committee stated.

The committee also said some student debt arising from accommodation funding shortfalls was linked to negotiations and contracts entered into by the university with private providers, even though the university did not financially benefit from student accommodation.

ALSO READ: Applications open for €15,000 Herman Mashaba scholarship in Austria

In May, shortly after NSFAS was placed under administration, the scheme announced that more than R1.1 billion had been disbursed during that quarter for private accommodation payments, benefiting more than 100,000 students.

NSFAS said 95% of accommodation providers listed on its solution partner portals had verified their banking details and were included in direct payments for 2026.

The scheme said it was legally mandated to bring accommodation payment functions in-house from 2026, a move it claimed had helped resolve various system challenges.

According to NSFAS, the changes addressed delays by institutions in confirming students, the misclassification of students as transport-allowance recipients, and uncertainties around accommodation accreditation.

In a follow-up statement, the SRCs said that the continued enforcement of the accommodation cap, combined with a lack of regulation of accommodation pricing, had created an unsustainable environment that disproportionately affected poor and working-class students.

“Since the release of the original statement, it has become increasingly evident that this is a national higher education crisis requiring immediate and coordinated intervention,” they said.

“Students continue to face accommodation debt, threats of eviction, registration barriers, delayed academic progression, and uncertainty.”

They said the growing number of SRCs supporting the position demonstrated a collective belief across universities that the current system was failing students.

“This is no longer an issue affecting isolated institutions — it is a systemic crisis demanding national attention. We therefore reaffirm the demands contained in the original joint statement,” they said.

They called on DHET, NSFAS and the Competition Commission to remove the NSFAS accommodation cap, regulate student accommodation prices across the public and private sectors, and immediately announce the 2026 NSFAS meal and rental allowance rates.

“We remain committed to working collectively in defence of students and will continue to advocate until meaningful and lasting solutions are implemented,” they said.

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South African universities and colleges must give students greater workplace exposure because qualifications alone are no longer enough to secure employment in a rapidly changing digital economy, Deputy Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele has said.

Speaking at the Skills for the Economy and Industry Dialogue, Gungubele said South Africa faced a disconnect between employers reporting shortages of digital skills and young graduates struggling to find work.

ALSO READ: OPINION| World Skills Youth Day: SA has misunderstood what skills are

“Industry tells us there is a shortage of digital skills. Young people tell us they cannot find work. Educational institutions continue to produce graduates. Clearly, somewhere within this ecosystem, there is a disconnect,” he said.

He said work-integrated learning, including internships, mentorship, practical projects and exposure to employers, should become central to preparing students for employment.

“One of the greatest mistakes we can make is to believe that qualifications alone are enough,” he said.

“Increasingly, employers are asking a different question: Not only, ‘What qualification do you have?’ But also, ‘What can you actually do?’”

The dialogue brought together government, universities, technical and vocational education and training institutions, industry representatives and young people to examine how education could respond more effectively to the requirements of the digital economy.

Gungubele said young people needed opportunities to demonstrate their abilities in real workplaces through internships, innovation challenges and industry projects.

“They need the confidence that comes from solving real problems,” he said.

“This aligns perfectly with the Department’s vision of promoting a skills-first approach, where competence, creativity and innovation are recognised alongside formal qualifications.”

Participants were expected to produce an Industry Expectations Statement, Youth Transition Insights, an Action and Commitments Matrix and a mechanism to ensure that commitments made during the dialogue were implemented.

ALSO READ: Karabo Primary teacher remains in custody for alleged sexual abuse of learner

Gungubele said universities should not be judged only by the number of graduates they produced.

“Universities must not only produce graduates; they must also become centres of innovation where research is translated into practical solutions that grow the economy, create jobs and improve people’s lives,” he said.

He pointed to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies’ partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology, which hosts one of the department’s Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hubs.

The hub focuses on the automotive sector and brings together students, researchers and industry to develop artificial intelligence solutions aimed at strengthening South Africa’s manufacturing capability.

Gungubele said artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, robotics and advanced manufacturing were transforming the economy and changing the skills employers required.

Young people attending the programme had participated in exhibitions, technology demonstrations and other practical activities before the formal dialogue. They also interacted with industry partners, innovators and entrepreneurs.

“That practical engagement is important, because learning cannot remain confined to the classroom,” Gungubele said.

“Young people must be able to touch technology, experience innovation, interact with employers and begin to see themselves as active participants in the digital economy.”

He said universities should identify where curricula needed to evolve, while employers should clearly state which skills were missing from the labour market.

Government, in turn, needed to respond through policy and programmes and include young people in discussions about the transition from education to employment.

“Too often we speak about young people. Today we must speak with them,” he said.

“We need to understand the barriers they experience when transitioning from learning into employment.”

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Gungubele said investments in broadband, digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence and innovation would have limited economic value unless South Africa also developed people capable of using those technologies.

“A fibre network without skilled people creates limited value. A data centre without digital talent creates limited value. Artificial Intelligence without ethical, capable innovators creates limited value,” he said.

He called on government, educational institutions, industry and development partners to make clear commitments that young people could hold them accountable for.

Gungubele warned that technological change would continue regardless of whether South Africa’s education and training system was prepared.

“The only question is whether South Africa will produce the talent that leads this transformation, or whether we will simply consume innovations developed elsewhere,” he said.

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