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Public urged to follow safety measures amid continued rainfall

Location: News

Public urged to follow safety measures amid continued rainfall

As rains continue to impact various regions, authorities are warning residents to take necessary precautions to prevent flood-related dangers. 

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, along with local disaster management teams, has issued a set of safety guidelines to help the public stay safe during flooding events.

One of the key recommendations advises those living in low-lying areas to remain vigilant, monitor rising water levels, and evacuate if necessary. 

Motorists are urged to avoid flooded roads, low-lying bridges, and swiftly moving water, as even 15cm of fast-flowing water can sweep a person off their feet.

Driving through flooded areas poses significant risks, with officials stressing that vehicles can be swept away in strong currents. Instead, drivers should seek alternative routes and park in safer areas. 

Pedestrians are also warned against walking into low-lying waters, as such areas can be more dangerous than they appear.

Weather alerts should be closely monitored via radio and television, and residents should keep their cellphones handy with emergency numbers saved. 

The authorities said that in case of danger, citizens should contact their local disaster management centres or emergency services at 112, 10177, or 107.

Additionally, people are advised to store important documents in water-resistant containers and be extra cautious at night when road hazards are harder to detect. 

Avoiding camping or parking near rivers during storms is also recommended, as sudden floods can be life-threatening.

Another concern is the contamination of floodwaters, which may contain raw sewage, chemicals, or even electrical charges, making them extremely hazardous.

Authorities are particularly focused on educating children about the dangers of floods, urging parents to inform them about safety measures. 

"Knowledge and awareness can save lives. We need everyone to take these warnings seriously," said the department.

With continued rainfall expected, officials are reinforcing the importance of these safety measures. Residents are urged to stay informed and prepared to mitigate risks associated with flooding. - SAnews.gov.za

Janine
Tue, 02/18/2025 - 10:50
 109 views

Read morePublic urged to follow safety measures amid continued rainfall

Western Cape Department of Local Government Helps in Securing a Safe Space for the Nuwerus Crèche

Location: News

Republic Of South Africa: Western Cape Provincial Government
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“When stakeholders work together, good things can happen,” Anton Bredell, Provincial Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning said, referring to the official handover of the site of a planned activity centre for the Nuwerus Crèche on the West Coast today.

During municipal public participation and ward committee engagements, the plight of the Crèche at Nuwerus was identified for attention. The Nuwerus Crèche is the only facility within the area that is still housed in an informal structure. The vision is to create an Activity Centre for the crèche inside the building of the church, situated next to it. 

Minister Bredell thanked the following private and government departments who made contributions to the project:

  • Nuwerus Uniting Reformed Church availed a room to be used by the ECD as an activity center.
  • Santam, which donated R60 000 for the revamp of the activity center, and R20 000 towards Diakonal Dienste in support of their programmes. 
  • The Asla Foundation contributed R110 000 for fitting out the Activity Center.
  • Department of Correctional Services will be providing cleaning services. 
  • Woodenscapes donated and installed the Play Equipment (Jungle Gym)
  • Vredendal Signs donating the signage for the facility. 
  • The Department of Infrastructure donated the wash basins, and its sports committee, which donated R2 500 towards the project.

Minister Bredell said the project was coordinated through the Department of Local Government's Citizen Interface Programme, which focus on improving the interaction between the people of rural communities and government entities. 

The purpose of the Citizen Interface Programme is to build the resilience and self-sustainability potential of deep rural small nodes and communities in the Northern areas of the Matzikama Municipality by ensuring access to basic government services and information, as well as linking external and internal resources to localised needs or challenges.  It is essentially a partnership programme, and has since its inception, successfully delivered various projects.

The Programme has over the past few years put various efforts and emphasis on supporting and revitalising the early childhood development centres in the area. All this was done in partnership with the Department of Education, as well as other state and non-state partners. These include amongst others: Providing toy-libraries and educational materials, registration of facilities, scoping reports and identifying funding partners to revamp and rebuild facilities. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Western Cape Provincial Government.

Read moreWestern Cape Department of Local Government Helps in Securing a Safe Space for the Nuwerus Crèche

Over R200m invested in W Cape student accommodation

Location: News

Over R200m invested in W Cape student accommodation

The Department of Human Settlements -- through the National Housing Finance Cooperation (NHFC) -- has announced its funding support for two 100% black-owned developers to provide student accommodation in the Western Cape.

The funding is meant to alleviate the student accommodation challenge in that province.

Addressing the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) held in Parliament on Wednesday, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane announced that the first project in Belhar has received a funding facility of R40 million to construct accommodation that can host 136 beds.

“The second project in Parrow for a building that started out as an affordable housing development programme, which received a R170 million facility, has since been converted into student accommodation with 927 beds,” Simelane said.

The department, through the National Housing Finance Cooperation, has also partnered with some of the Traditional Authorities in the provinces, with a number of projects currently underway in the eThekwini, Umkhanyakude and Umgungundlovu District Municipalities.

In Inanda, north of Durban, Inkosi Mqiqi Ngcobo is allocating pieces of land to residents to build their homes with support from First Home Finance (FHF), with 59 houses completed, and 60 anticipated by the end of financial year.

In Ndwedwe Local Municipality, under ILembe District Municipality, Ngcobo -- from Umlamula Traditional Council, Ozwathini -- has also allocated pieces of land for households to build their homes with FHF assistance, with nine completed houses and 18 at enrolment stage.

Over 5 000 first time home buyers assisted

The Minister also highlighted progress on the provision of subsidies for first time home buyers, who were proceed out of the market, as per President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call during 2024 State of the Nation Address.

Simelane said the department exceeded all the targets in the 2023/24 financial year, with 5 082 households being assisted through the First Home Finance.

The Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP), now known as the First Home Finance (FHF) Programme assists qualifying citizens whose household income is from R3 501 up to R22 000 per month.

The Minister said the outlook for the financial year 2024/25, indicates that the targets will be met in the first six months of the current financial year, with the entire budget used to support the qualifying beneficiaries to own a home for the first time in their lives.

“Going forward, the department plans to disburse 140 000 gap market subsidies through First Home Finance (FHF) and other financial mechanisms, to enable middle-income households to access housing near economic centres. This programme fits in with the future of human settlement policy trajectory in that citizens can buy houses for the first time on their own aided by government,” Simelane said.

Spotlight on provision of title deeds

The Minister announced the department will focus on the provision of title deeds to the citizens by simplifying and streamlining the issuing of title deeds and introducing a special dispensation, where the municipalities could ask the department of Cooperative Governance to exempt specific cases from the provisions of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), in respect to the undeclared townships.

“This step will assist in the acceleration of land tenure security and enable homeowners to leverage property assets for wealth creation, restoring dignity, the department plans to issue 80 000 title deeds in the five years.

“We will also meet the targets the President spoke about regarding provision of serviced stands by earmarking a portion of funds available in the Human Settlements Grants across all provinces and metros in the coming financial year,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Fri, 02/14/2025 - 10:36

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Read moreOver R200m invested in W Cape student accommodation

Spaza shop owners urged to register before deadline

Location: News

Spaza shop owners urged to register before deadline

Spaza shop owners and other food handling facilities are left with exactly 13 days to register their businesses with municipalities to ensure they are compliant with the law.

The deadline for registration is 28 February 2025.

“The registration is open on business days only and excludes public holidays and weekends. Business owners who are eligible to register for this purpose are urged to visit their registration centres in their respective municipalities,” the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS)  said on Thursday.

Last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa called for all spaza shops and food-handling facilities to register with their respective municipalities as part of decisive measures to address recurring foodborne illnesses. 

READ | Guide to register spaza shops  

When the pronouncement was made last November, all spaza shops and food-handling facilities had to register with their respective municipalities within 21 days. However, the deadline for registration was extended to 28 February 2025.

In the previous registration period, government observed that some of the spaza shop owners and food handlers did not have adequate information and knowledge regarding issues of compliance with health and safety requirements for running a business.

“This is also true regarding compliance with municipal by-laws and other requirements regarding the registration of their business establishments. In this regard, government has put together a training and support programme to assist all eligible owners to comply with these requirements,” NATJOINTS said.

The Department of Small Business Development, in partnership with other government entities in the business development and support environment, have been conducting training sessions to empower  small businesses with knowledge and information required in the sector.

This programme will continue beyond the deadline of 28 February 2025 to ensure that business owners comply with the legal and regulatory requirements. 

Business owners can contact the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) at +086 010 3703 or 012 748 9600 for more details of training or support offered to small business.

Compliance with health regulations

Government’s multi-disciplinary enforcement interventions responding to the food-borne illness outbreak has helped to curb the immediate threat and strengthened focus on addressing the challenges and gaps in the legal and regulatory framework environment. 

“The end of the registration period, on the 28 February 2025, does not in any way suggest that the foodborne illness challenges have been fully addressed as more work still needs to be done to ensure that this sector is fully regulated and that it adheres to applicable legislation and health regulations.

“A lot still needs to be done in the value chain of business registration and compliance processes. This includes a sustained campaign on multi-disciplinary enforcement interventions, continued awareness campaigns, support and training for business owners, regular sustainable nationwide cleanup campaigns to deal with the challenges of waste management across the country,” the NATJOINTS said.

NATJOINTS said there will be zero tolerance for non-compliance with health, environmental and food handling regulations and other requirements.

“These multi-disciplinary enforcement interventions will continue to be undertaken by our law enforcement agencies and Environmental Health Inspectors on both registered and unregistered establishments in terms of the existing legal and regulatory framework. 

"These interventions help ensure that areas where such businesses are conducted are free from the use of harmful, hazardous and  dangerous pesticides including other banned chemicals,” the NATJOINTS said.

Harmful, restricted or banned chemicals and pesticides, like Terbufos and Aldicarb ("galephirimi") are strictly prohibited in the household environment.   

“Parents, schools and care givers must ensure that our children are kept safe and healthy from contaminated food products,” NATJOINTS said. - SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Thu, 02/13/2025 - 11:57

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Read moreSpaza shop owners urged to register before deadline

Young boy successfully repatriated

Location: News

Young boy successfully repatriated

The department of Social Development has once again successfully repatriated a young South African boy from Zimbabwe who has been missing for almost two years. 

The child, identified as Mzi*, was just 11 years old when he disappeared from his home in May 2023 and boarded a bus to Zimbabwe, where he was later dropped off at the Zengeza police station in Harare.

This set off a complex cross-border child protection case, with his disappearance becoming a matter of national concern, prompting the Department of Social Development to work tirelessly alongside Zimbabwe’s Department of Social Welfare to locate and return him home.

Unlike previous repatriation cases involving children born in foreign prisons to South African mothers, Mzi’s case presented unique challenges.

According to reports, the boy provided different accounts of how he ended up in Zimbabwe, further complicating the search. The department was first notified of the case when the nationwide search for him began, said Acting Deputy Director-General Lumka Oliphant.

The Children’s Act

The Children’s Act mandates the department to repatriate South African children in distress in foreign countries. The Department of Social Development plays a crucial role in ensuring the protection and care of children, including those in need of repatriation and reunification with their families.

Mzi is the 26th child to be repatriated from foreign countries since 2015, reaffirming the department’s commitment to safeguarding children.

The Zimbabwean social workers report indicates that the child is autistic, though further assessments will be conducted to determine the full extent of his needs.

“His condition may explain why he wandered off and why repatriation efforts faced such obstacles,” a social worker from the department said on Wednesday. 

According to the department, bringing him back proved far from straightforward, with the social workers’ report confirming that multiple repatriation attempts failed as he repeatedly absconded from authorities, making an already challenging process even more difficult.

The breakthrough finally came on Wednesday, 5 February 2025, when Zimbabwean officials found him on the streets of Harare.

In an urgent, coordinated effort, South Africa’s Integrated Social Services team intervened, ensuring he was safely escorted to the Beitbridge border the following day.

By 6 February 2025, Mzi had been placed in the care of Limpopo’s Department of Social Development, at Polokwane Welfare Complex.

Reunited with family 

The next day, accompanied by his mother, maternal aunt, and a Gauteng social worker, Mzi made the final journey to Johannesburg, where he was finally reunited with his family.

“He started crying when he saw me and was saying a lot that I couldn’t understand because it was in Shona, he’s lost his Zulu (mother tongue) and now speaks Shona fluently,” the boy’s 33-year-old mother said. 

Mzi’s mother described him as an independent child who often wandered off. When he started primary school, his disappearances became more frequent, sometimes leading to police involvement or kind strangers returning him home. 

When asked about this behavior, his mother admitted it has been a confusing and painful journey.

Seated on the concrete veranda of his home in Alexandra, Gauteng, the small-framed shy looking boy plays quietly with his cousin and the two-year-old brother he has just met for the first time.

After nearly two years away Mzi is finally home, but his journey, and that of his family, is far from over.

“We thought he was just a seriously naughty child, and we would punish him and ground him from playing outside,” his mother said, recalling the many sleepless nights spent worrying about his safety.

“My ex-husband was quite strict, and he would give him a hiding whenever he disappeared from us,” she said. 

In several social workers’ assessments, Mzi reported being abused by his stepfather.

During his time in Zimbabwe, Mzi was placed in various Child and Youth Care Centres and alternative care facilities, but he absconded more than six times. His last disappearance was in July 2024.

Social workers also reported his tendency to wander, which may be related to the autism. He also gave multiple versions of his family story and how he ended up in Zimbabwe to the police and child welfare organisations.

Emotional reunion

Mzi’s mother remains filled with questions and frustration. She speaks with bitterness of the two-year ordeal, which left her feeling dismissed by officials, judged by friends and family, and even being threatened with arrest. She added that “It has been traumatic”.

“The moment of reunion was deeply emotional,” says Lamlani Mthembele, one of the officials who accompanied Mzi’s mother to Limpopo. 

“When they saw each other, he cried, his mom was crying, and even though we couldn’t understand what he was saying in Shona, it felt like he was saying he was happy to be back home and that he would never leave his mother’s side again.”

While en route to Johannesburg, Mzi asked about his little sister, and when the mother video called the 9-year-old girl, he sobbed uncontrollably, Mthembele said. 

Now back home, Mzi is adjusting to life with his family, including meeting his two-year-old brother for the first time. 

Social workers from the Gauteng Department of Social Development will support his mother in securing medical assessments and the necessary interventions for his well-being.

“It will empower me. I will know what medication he needs and what school I need to send him to. I also want to get him a tracking bracelet,” the mother said. 

The department has assured ongoing psychosocial support for Mzi and his family to ensure his smooth reintegration and emotional healing.

The Department of Social Development extended its gratitude to the Zimbabwean Department of Social Welfare, the Limpopo and Gauteng Social Development Departments, and all organisations involved in securing Mzi’s safe return. – SAnews.gov.za

* Not his real name

DikelediM
Thu, 02/13/2025 - 13:30

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Read moreYoung boy successfully repatriated

Justice Minister continues to push for public access to sex offenders’ register

Location: News

Justice Minister continues to push for public access to sex offenders' register

The open publication of the National Register for Sex Offenders will further tighten the noose on sexual offenders and aid in the fight against gender-based violence in South Africa.

This is according to Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who delivered remarks during the debate of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Tuesday.

Currently, the National Register for Sex Offenders is not open to the public but is available for the public and private sector, through application, to vet whether someone is suitable to work with children and other vulnerable groups.

“We believe that keeping the register from the public has allowed offenders to commit the same offence repeatedly, causing untold harm to children and other vulnerable groups.

“In this regard, we are advocating for amendments to the confidentiality and disclosure clauses of the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Act, with the goal of making the National Register for Sex Offenders publicly accessible,” she said.

The minister emphasised that the release of the register will be done as soon as compliance checks have been completed.

“We have initiated a multi-stakeholder consultative process engaging key experts and institutions to facilitate compliance with the aim of releasing the register as soon as possible. 

“[We] will issue a directive to give access to the register for institutions working directly with children, including schools, crèches, and regulatory bodies like the South African Council for Educators,” Kubayi said.

National crackdown on GBVF

During the release of crime statistics in November 2024, it was revealed that more than 10 000 rape and 1 839 sexual assault cases were reported to the police between July and September of the same year.

The statistics also revealed that some 957 women were murdered, with at least 1567 being victims of attempted murder.

A further 315 children 315 murdered over the same period.

Kubayi vowed that government will “continue to increase the efforts to protect communities that have to cope with terrifying degrees of pain which arise from gender-based violence and femicide  (GBVF)” through courts and other legislative means.

“[Courts] are empowered to impose tougher sentences in cases of murder of children, as well as in femicide or domestic homicide cases. This includes cases of attempted murder. Convictions of Rape or compelled rape cases perpetrated in domestic relationships now attracts life imprisonment as well as the rape or compelled rape of a child under the age of 18 years.

“Convictions of gang and serial rapes also attract life imprisonment sentence. In the previous financial year, the National Prosecuting Agency [NPA] reported an increased conviction rate from 77.1% to 78% in all sexual offences matters channelled through the Thuthuzela Care Centres and a 72.5% conviction rate by all regional courts nationally.

“During the same period, 221 life imprisonment sentences were imposed in all sex crimes finalised with a verdict and processed through the Thuthuzela Care Centres nationwide,” the minister said.

The department has already announced that some 100 district courts will be upgraded to offer services that are custom-made for survivors of domestic violence.

Additionally, a 100-day challenge has been initiated to reduce and ultimately clear the backlog of domestic violence, sexual offences, maintenance and divorce matters.

However, Kubayi emphasised that the government cannot tackle the scourge of GBVF alone. 

“[There are] still a number of victims who get discouraged and drop cases after reporting the crime. We need to work together as a society to create a society that is safe for women, children, people with disability and the Queer community.

“We shall not compromise on protecting the rights of all South Africans. We are all equal before the law. However, government alone will not be able to build a just society, we need a whole of society approach to fighting crime, GBVF and any other injustice,” Kubayi said.

During the State of the Nation Address last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the promulgation of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act to establish a “national structure to oversee a coordinated response” to the national GBVF crisis.

“We will ensure that the Council is fully functional and properly resourced. 

“We continue to strengthen support to victims of gender-based violence. There are now 65 Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country. Out of 52 districts in the country, 44 have GBV shelters. All police stations in the country have victim friendly services, and another 16 sexual offences courts will be established in the next financial year.

“We will continue to work across society to end the violence that is perpetrated against women,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Wed, 02/12/2025 - 10:01

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Read moreJustice Minister continues to push for public access to sex offenders’ register

Gauteng’s first MitraClip Implants a ‘gamechanger’ for heart valve treatment

Location: News

Gauteng's first MitraClip Implants a 'gamechanger' for heart valve treatment

The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) has performed the first successful MitraClip implants on three State-funded patients in the province.

The minimally invasive procedure is designed to treat Mitral Regurgitation, a heart condition where the mitral valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak backwards into the heart.

The Gauteng Health Department explained that the MitralClip itself is a “minute clip passed through a catheter, which aids the mitral valve in sealing properly, subsequently restoring normal blood flow through the heart”.

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko welcomed the successful completion of the procedures, which were carried out last week.

“This procedure is but an example of the many inroads we continue to make in the healthcare system through collaboration between the public and private sector. 

“We have the advantage of academic hospitals, which boasts leading experts in many fields locally and internationally. This allows us to pioneer new ways of improving patient care,” the MEC said.

Director of the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory and Interventional Cardiologist at CMJAH, Dr Arthur Mutyaba, who was part of the team performing the procedures, said that with this new capability, more patients living with the condition and ineligible for open-heart surgery can now be assisted.

 “With this procedure now accessible, we are able to help these patients get back to a normal life without having to expose them to the risk that open heart surgery would have disposed them to,” Mutyaba said.

The department revealed that, to date, at least 15 MitraClip procedures have been completed in South Africa, all performed in public institutions.

“The Charlotte Maxeke procedure marks the fourth round of MitraClip implants in South Africa, following the first 12 successful procedures performed at Groote Schuur and Tygerberg hospitals in Cape Town. 

“What makes this program unique is that both public and private patients have access to this cutting-edge therapy through these leading academic hospitals in the country. At present, MitraClip therapy is not yet available in private healthcare facilities, making these institutions the sole centres for this life-changing intervention,” the department said.

Game changing solution

The Gauteng Health Department described that the procedure as a “game changer” which marks a “significant advancement in minimally invasive heart valve therapy” in both the private and public sector.

“The procedure’s key benefits include drastically reduced recovery times, often just one or two days post-insertion, making it a game-changer for elderly or high-risk mitral regurgitation patients who are unsuitable candidates for open heart surgery.

“With its availability through academic hospitals and the ongoing tracking of patient outcomes, this pioneering therapy is set to transform the treatment landscape for mitral regurgitation in South Africa,” the department said.

The successful procedures will now be recorded on the national registry to track advancements in treatments in South Africa.

“What makes the procedures even more unique is that, despite most of the patients having full medical insurance, a decision was made to perform these procedures in a controlled academic hospital environment. 

“This approach ensures that all cases are recorded in a national registry, allowing for the tracking of long-term outcomes and contributing to the advancement of structural heart disease treatment in South Africa,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

NeoB
Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:52

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Read moreGauteng’s first MitraClip Implants a ‘gamechanger’ for heart valve treatment

SONA in numbers – 2025

Location: News

SONA in numbers - 2025

MOURNING

  • 14 – South African soldiers who died as part of a mission to bring peace to the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

HISTORY

  • 70 – years since the adoption of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People in Kliptown.
  • 30 – years since the dawn of democracy.

ECONOMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

  • 5 – number of years for the implementation of the Medium-Term Development Plan.
  • 3 – government’s strategic priorities to be advanced by the Medium-Term Development Plan.
  • Over 3% – the level of economic growth that government aims to lift to create the virtuous cycle of investment, growth and jobs.
  • R100 billion – value of infrastructure financing expected from local and international financial institutions and investors.
  • More than R940 billion – money that government will spend on infrastructure over the next three years.
  • 3 – number of years during which government will spend more than R940 billion on infrastructure.
  • R375 billion – money to be spent by state-owned companies on infrastructure.
  • 12 – blended finance projects worth nearly R38 billion that have been approved through the Infrastructure Fund last year.
  • Nearly R38 billion – value of 12 blended finance projects that have been approved through the Infrastructure Fund last year.

WATER

  • 490 million – cubic metres of water a year that the Polihlali Dam will feed from the Lesotho Highlands into the Vaal River System. 
  • R23 billion – money secured by the Infrastructure Fund for seven large water infrastructure projects.
  • 7 – large water infrastructure projects for which the Infrastructure Fund has secured R23 billion.

ENERGY

  • More than 300 – days without load-shedding since March 2024.
  • Over 13 billion – United States dollars that have been pledged by the international community to the Just Energy Transition.

VISA

  • Over 90% – the backlog of more than 300 000 visa applications that government has cleared.
  • More than 300 000 – visa applications of over 90% of the backlog that government has cleared.

BUSINESS FUNDING AND JOB CREATION

  • R20 billion – value of a transformation fund a year over the next five years that government will set up to fund black-owned and small business enterprises.
  • Over 10 000 – persons with disabilities to be empowered by the National Skills Fund Disabilities Programme through tailored training programmes, stipends and specialised tools.
  • Almost 2.2 million – work and livelihood opportunities created by the Presidential Employment Stimulus through innovative models that provide high-quality work to participants.
  • Over 80 000 – jobs created by the Social Employment Fund in 2025.
  • More than 12 000 – participants supported by the Social Employment Fund to enter entrepreneurial activities.

TOURISM

  • Close to 9 million – tourists who visited South Africa last year.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND EMPLOYMENT

  • 235 000 – work opportunities secured by young people during the past year through the National Pathway Management Network, which is underpinned by the SAYouth.mobi platform.
  • Some 4.5 million – young people registered on the SAYouth.mobi platform.
  • Around 60% – value of the national budget that government spends on the social wage: on health, education, social protection, community development and public employment programmes.

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION

  • More than 28 million – unemployed and vulnerable people who receive social grants.
  • More than 10.5 million – learners who go to public schools where they do not have to pay fees.
  • Over 900 000 – students from poor and working-class backgrounds who received funding to study at universities and colleges in 2024.
  • 10 – key priorities of the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children. 
  • 87% – learners who passed their matric exams.
  • Approximately 10 000 – students in the first year to be supported through Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Student Funding Model for Higher Education to address the needs of the “missing middle”.

HEALTH

  • 3 – existing old central hospitals to be replaced.
  • 3 – new central hospitals to be constructed.
  • 5 – new district hospitals to be constructed.
  • 5  – community health centres to be constructed.
  • 1 – a new psychiatric hospital to be constructed.
  • 96% – people living with HIV who knew their status, by the end of March 2024.
  • 79% – people on antiretroviral treatment among the 96% of people living with HIV who knew their status, by the end of March 2024.
  • 94% – people on antiretroviral treatment, among the 96% of people living with HIV who knew their status by the end of March 2024, who were virally suppressed.
  • 1.1 million – additional HIV-positive people not on antiretroviral treatment that government will look for to ensure that South Africa reaches its target of 95-95-95.
  • 90 – days during which the United States Government has decided to suspend some of its funding for HIV and TB programmes in African countries.
  • About 17% – the value of funding from the United States Government to South Africa’s HIV spend.

HOUSING

  • 300 000 – serviced stands to be provided to qualifying beneficiaries to enable housing development in well-planned, connected communities along key development corridors.

RAIL TRANSPORT

  • More than 80% – passenger rail corridors that have been returned to service.
  • Over 200 – locally-produced trains that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has introduced on its network to provide a low-cost option for public transport.
  • Over the next five years – period during which government will restore the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s signalling system.

CRIME AND CORRUPTION

  • 4 000 – personnel to expand the Detective Service through internal recruitment processes.
  • Over R95 billion – value of leakage in impermissible refunds that the South African Revenue Service prevented by using artificial intelligence in its fraud risk detection and verification work.
  • R20 billion – amount recovered by the South African Revenue Service.
  • Over R10 billion – money recovered by the Special Investigating Unit and Asset Forfeiture Unit in state capture related cases.
  • 16 out of 22 – action items that government has fully addressed in the law-enforcement system to secure the removal of South Africa from the international Financial Action Task Force grey list.

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

  • 65 – Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country.
  • 52 – districts in the country.
  • 44 – districts, out of 55 districts in the country, which have gender-based violence shelters.
  • 16 – additional sexual offences courts to be established in the next financial year.

VISION

  • Next 30 years – period of a vision for the country to be defined by all South Africans coming together in the National Dialogue.

 

Janine
Sat, 02/08/2025 - 09:11

59 views
Read moreSONA in numbers – 2025

Government strengthens efforts to end violence against women

Location: News

Government strengthens efforts to end violence against women

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government remains committed to working across society to end violence perpetrated against women in the country.

Delivering his State of the Nation Adress (SONA) in Cape Town on Thursday evening, President Ramaphosa highlighted that, as part of these efforts, 65 Thuthuzela Care Centres have been established nationwide, providing critical services to survivors.

Of the country’s 52 districts, 44 have established gender-based violence (GBV) shelters, offering a safe haven for women in need.

“All police stations in the country have victim friendly services, and another 16 sexual offences courts will be established in the next financial year. We continue to work across society to end the violence that is perpetrated against women.

“We have promulgated the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, establishing a national structure to oversee a coordinated response to this crisis. We will ensure that the Council is fully functional and properly resourced,” President Ramaphosa said.

The GBVF cases can be reported through the GBV Command Centre toll-free on 0800 428 428 04 or *120* 7867# from any cellphone. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

GabiK
Thu, 02/06/2025 - 23:20

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Government intensifying Operation Shanela

Location: News

Government intensifying Operation Shanela

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is intensifying Operation Shanela which has been successful in arresting suspects, recovering firearms and seizing stolen vehicles.

Through Operation Shanela, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has taken a bold and decisive approach to dealing with crime in the country through tracking and tracing operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, as well as stop and searches.

All Shanela operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province.

“We must tackle the scourge of gun violence that has plagued our society for decades,” President Ramaphosa said, adding that he had asked the Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the National Commissioner of Police General Fannie Masemola to prioritise reducing gun-related crime and violence. 

“This includes preventing the diversion of firearms into the illicit market and recovering illegal firearms in circulation. We know from international evidence and our own experience that this is the most effective way to reduce overall violent crime.”

The President said this when he delivered the State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall this evening.

He said the SAPS had partnered with the metropolitan municipalities and was working with communities to fight crime in the priority provinces where crime was particularly high.

“We want a nation in which everyone is safe. The police continue to work with other law enforcement agencies to dismantle organised crime syndicates and combat financial and violent crimes,” President Ramaphosa said.

The Detective Service, which is crucial to solving cases, will be expanded by 4 000 personnel through internal recruitment processes.

“We are working on adopting surveillance, analytics and smart policing solutions for modern law enforcement. 

“We have seen the value of technology in fighting crime. By using AI in its fraud risk detection and verification work, SARS has prevented the leakage of over R95 billion in impermissible refunds, recovered R20 billion in revenue and dismantled an illicit tobacco and gold scheme,” the President said.

President Ramaphosa said government continues to work across society to end the violence that is perpetrated against women.

“We have promulgated the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, establishing a national structure to oversee a coordinated response to this crisis,” President Ramaphosa said.

Government, he said, would ensure that the Council is fully functional and properly resourced.

“We continue to strengthen support to victims of gender-based violence. There are now 65 Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country. Out of 52 districts in the country, 44 have GBV shelters,” the President said.

All police stations in the country have victim friendly services, and another 16 sexual offences courts will be established in the next financial year.

Touching on corruption, President Ramaphosa said this year, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development would report on the review of the anti-corruption architecture by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.

“This is expected to streamline legislation, eradicate the duplication of mandates and foster greater cooperation between law enforcement agencies. We will finalise the whistleblower protection framework and introduce the Whistleblower Protections Bill in Parliament during this financial year.

“This year, we will strengthen South Africa’s system to combat money laundering and terror financing with further legislative and system improvements,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

Edwin
Thu, 02/06/2025 - 22:32

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Government moves to reclaim hijacked buildings

Location: News

Government moves to reclaim hijacked buildings

Government is working with provinces and metros to reclaim buildings that have been hijacked in the city centres and repurpose them for public use.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement when he was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening.

To tackle inequality, he said there was a need to undo apartheid spatial planning, which has “scarred our cities and forced many people to live far from areas of work and opportunity”.

While acknowledging the millions of housing opportunities which have been delivered and have provided safety and dignity to the poor households since 1994, the President said the practice of building housing developments on the periphery of urban centres, has perpetuated inequality and urban sprawl.

Going forward, government is to build more housing in the city centres and closer to work and business opportunities.

The President said government was currently redesigning the housing subsidies and directing more funding towards programmes that enable people to buy or rent a home in an area of their choice.

Government will also release more underutilised state properties for affordable housing development.

“We are working with provinces and metros to reclaim buildings that have been hijacked in the city centres and repurpose them for public use. We will provide 300 000 serviced stands to qualifying beneficiaries to enable housing development in well-planned, connected communities along key development corridor.

“We will clear the backlog of title deeds for subsidised housing, turning homes into household assets. We will review land use, building and other regulations to enable low-cost property development, including backyard housing,” the President said.

This, he said, represents a fundamental rethink of how the state delivers housing at scale while turning cities into engines of growth and opportunity. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Thu, 02/06/2025 - 22:49

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Langa township residents receive government services ahead of SONA in Cape Town

Location: News

Langa township residents receive government services ahead of SONA in Cape Town

Washington Street in Langa, Cape Town, bustled with activity as the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) hosted pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) outreach activities on Monday.

Gazebos, banners, buses and cars lined the streets, as various government departments provided services to the community.

The Guga S’Thebe Cultural Centre and the Langa Civic Hall were filled with hundreds of community members. 

Some walked, while others took taxis, all eager for essential services, such as applying for identity documents (IDs).

Young people lined up at the Employment and Labour Department’s mobile bus to register on the job seekers' database.

The outreach activities aim to involve all South Africans in the SONA, which will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, 6 February, at 7 pm. 

This will be the President’s first SONA as the Head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the seventh administration.

Some of the participants were the City of Cape Town officials, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Western Cape Department of Social Development, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the Human Rights Commission, Postbank, the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC), and the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA).

Acting Director of Public Employment Services, Nokulunga Zazaza, expressed satisfaction in connecting with the community, especially in registering unemployed youth on their database.

The team also offered career counselling to help equip the youth with job hunting and interview skills.

“We also have a programme where we go around to engage with employers and opportunity providers to check if there are opportunities available in their organisation. If they do, they give us the requirements and registration credentials, and we’ll use those to match it with the unemployed who meet the criteria,” she explained. 

Although there are Labour Centres located throughout the province, Zazaza stressed that her department aims to connect more closely with local communities. 

She expressed a desire for people to secure permanent employment, as most of the companies that reach out to them mostly offer temporary contracts and training services.

“We always want as many people as possible to find employment because our target is unemployed persons, as our department’s focus is employment and labour. We want to do anything that will assist with unemployment.”

Research Officer for the Human Rights Commission, Advocate Tammy Carter, told SAnews that many individuals she encountered in communities were unaware of their rights, even though the country boasts one of the best constitutions in the world.

“One of the primary functions, in terms of the Constitution for the Human Rights Commission, is to promote human rights and human rights culture. 

“If people don’t even know their rights, how are they going to even assert those rights? 

“For us, it’s important to be invited to events like this, so that we can educate people about their rights.” 

She said Chapter 9 bodies had been created to support democracy by being enforcers of human rights.

Most of the people she has been attending to have been raising issues about education, access to water and sanitation, environmental concerns such as littering, which seems to be a big deal in Langa, and access to services such as SASSA and Home Affairs. 

“People in Langa have to travel to Athlone to access these services and it costs them a lot of money,” Carter said, adding that was important for the Chapter 9 institutions to come together to help these communities. 

Customer Care Assistant from the  Western Social Development Department, Siphosihle Qingana, said together with his colleague, he has been providing information about their services since this morning. 

These include childcare protection programmes, support for the elderly, substance abuse assistance, and registration of non-profit organisations (NPOs).

“People need help or advice about child protection. Some children don’t have birth certificates. Other people were seeking funding for their NPOs and asking about registering NPOs,” Qingana told SAnews. 

Ministries and departments will continue to hold various public engagement activities for the remainder of the week. 

According to the GCIS, these events aim to encourage South Africans to familiarise themselves with the content of SONA, enabling them to contribute to discussions and proposals for economic growth and development. 

South Africans are encouraged to tune it and participate in this important national milestone. – SAnews.gov.za

Gabisile
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 15:16

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Matric results queries should be directed to SACAI, says Umalusi

Location: News

Matric results queries should be directed to SACAI, says Umalusi

Umalusi has advised learners and parents to direct their queries regarding the assessment outcomes of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam to the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI).

These queries include concerns relating to the costs of and timeliness for viewing, re-marking or re-checking of examination scripts, re-writing of examinations and other NSC exam-related processes.

Umalusi is the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training in South Africa. It is responsible for ensuring that educational institutions, qualifications, and assessment processes within its scope meet acceptable quality standards.

SACAI is a private assessment body that operates under its own policies, which have built-in mechanisms for complaints to be lodged whenever a learner or parent is dissatisfied with assessment outcomes or procedural aspects of the outcomes.  

Following the approval for the release of results, Umalusi has been receiving a number of queries from learners and parents regarding the assessment outcomes of the 2024 SACAI NSC examinations. 

The queries are mainly about the discrepancies between the final marks and the marks achieved by the learners during the year.  

“The approval decision was arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence presented at the time. Such evidence was gathered by various role players at different stages of Umalusi’s quality assurance cycle,” Umalusi said on Monday. 

Umalusi has reiterated that the 2024 NSC exam, administered by the SACAI, was subjected to the following quality assurance processes:  

•    External moderation of question papers and site-based assessments or school based assessment (SBA) to ensure the maintenance of standards of assessment.
•    Audit of the system to conduct, administer and manage the examinations to determine the readiness of the whole system.
•    Monitoring of the writing of the examinations across sampled examination centres to determine the credibility of the examinations. 
•    Participation in marking guidelines standardisation meetings in selected subjects to ensure that the marking process is accurate and reliable.
•    Verification of quality of marking in sampled subjects to ensure accuracy and reliability.
•    Standardisation of examination marks to ensure comparability and consistency in learner performance across years.

“The abovementioned quality assurance processes were applied consistently across all the 24 subjects linked to the NSC examination administered and managed by the SACAI,” Umalusi said.

The principles are available on the website of Umalusi, as is the case with the other Umalusi quality assurance processes that are used in conjunction with standardisation principles.

For detailed information about the process of standardisation of SBA and external examination marks, the public can refer to the Umalusi presentation:
https://www.umalusi.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Standardisation-ofResults_Explained.pdf.

 “Since the NSC is assessed by three assessment bodies, namely the SACAI, IEB and Department of Basic Education (DBE), learners and parents are advised to make an informed decision in terms of which assessment body to register with for the NSC examinations.

“Concerning accreditation status of the SACAI, this body was granted full accreditation status by Umalusi with effect from 1 October 2022 to assess the General Education and Training Certificate: Adult Basic Education and Training (GETC: ABET) and NSC examinations. 

“The rationale behind accreditation of private education and training institutions and private assessment bodies is to ensure that they have the capacity to deliver and assess qualifications registered on the GFETQSF and are doing so to the expected standards and quality,” Umalusi said. - SAnews.gov.za
 

nosihle
Mon, 01/27/2025 - 11:05

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VFS Global’s new Indonesia e-Visa on Arrival official platform goes live for 97 nationalities, including South Africa

Location: News
VFS Global

  • Dedicated website https://IndonesiaVoA.VFSeVisa.id/ to complete the Indonesia e-VoA application
  • Simple to use end-to-end online platform accessible from desktop and mobile
  • Significant reduction in wait times at immigration upon arrival in Indonesia

VFS Global (www.VFSGlobal.com), the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, has launched its new user-friendly and efficient online platform to make Indonesia's Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VoA) application process seamless for travellers, promote inbound tourism, and enhance overall customer experience. The platform is in line with Indonesian government's ongoing efforts to enhance its tourism infrastructure and services to welcome 14 million visitors in 2025.

VFS Global's new e-VoA platform, is available for nationals of all the 97 countries eligible for e-VoA (http://apo-opa.co/40si4qG), including South Africa. Travellers can now enjoy a quicker and smoother visa application journey through VFS Global by completing the entire process online and receiving a pre-approved e-VoA before departure.

Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Business Development, VFS Global, said,
“As a company, we are constantly working towards innovations which provide a seamless visa application submission experience to our customers. The launch of this innovative, secure, and user-friendly digital e-Visa on Arrival platform for Indonesia will undoubtedly streamline the visa application process, making it faster, easier, and more convenient. With Indonesia being a globally sought-after destination, we are honoured to assist visitors from 97 countries by facilitating their entry into this incredible country through this platform.”

Here are the four simple steps to apply for Indonesia e-VoA:

  1. Visit https://IndonesiaVoA.VFSeVisa.id/
  2. Submit all the required documents
  3. Pay the necessary fees
  4. Receive a pre-approved e-VoA on email before departure

With the payment having been made online, travellers can enjoy a smoother and faster entry experience through E-gates or immigration counters.

VFS Global's new e-VoA platform will ensure all the documents applicants submit are complete and error-free. It also offers OCR technology which will enable applicant details to be auto populated, thereby saving time and effort for applicants. The new platform will also provide group booking facility which could be beneficials for travel trade and conventions.

Travellers applying for Indonesia e-VoA via VFS Global will get a dedicated email and live support in seven languages - English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, German, and French – to help them with their queries. VFS Global will add more language support in due course of time for key markets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VFS Global.

Media Contact:
George Cherian
Corporate Communications
georgec@vfsglobal.com
communications@vfsglobal.com

About VFS Global:
As the world's leading outsourcing and technology service specialist, VFS Global embraces technological innovation including Generative AI to support governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, increasing productivity and enabling them to focus entirely on the critical task of assessment.

With a responsible approach to technology development, adoption and integration, the company prioritizes ethical practices and sustainability while serving as the trusted partner to 69 client governments.  Operating over 3,400 Application Centres in 152 countries, VFS Global has efficiently processed more than 303 million applications since 2001.

Headquartered in Zurich and majority owned through investment funds managed by Blackstone Inc, along with the Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, VFS Global is committed to creating value for all stakeholders and leading in responsible, innovative solutions making government services more effective and efficient.

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KZN Transport inspects damaged roads and houses

Location: News

KZN Transport inspects damaged roads and houses

KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, has kick-started a wide inspection of roads and houses destroyed due to the persistent downpours in the province.

The province has been experiencing prolonged rainfall, since the beginning of the new year, which has damaged roads and houses in various parts of KwaZulu-Natal.  

Duma said the department has received a number of calls, including pictures, and videos from communities that are isolated and battling to access schools, hospitals, and socio-economic centres.

“Prolonged rainfall has caused so much havoc throughout the corners of the province. Bridges have been eroded, especially in deep rural areas, making it difficult for communities to access schools, clinics, and other socio-economic centres,” Duma said.

Duma said the rainfall has also affected the construction of new projects and worsened the condition of roads that are being repaired.

“Equally, as we move communities to new houses, a long list of residents without houses is increasing, following the destruction of their houses,” Duma said.

Duma said the department has offered to be on the side of the affected communities during this period - working with other departments and spheres of government.

The province-wide inspection kicked off in KwaMakhutha, KwaNgcolosi and Hillcrest, south west of Durban, where Duma observed the rehabilitation and repair of damaged roads in the areas.

Duma, who is working with roving teams from both departments, said the focus is on ensuring that the department accelerates its responses.

“Despite limited resources caused by recurring heavy rainfall and floods, we want to be closer to communities during this period of need," Duma said.

The MEC is scheduled to visit Vryheid, Empangeni and Melmoth in the northern KwaZulu-Natal, and various areas affected by the heavy rainfall in the province. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Fri, 01/17/2025 - 13:41

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Nelson Mandela Bay kicks-off academic year on a high note

Location: News

Nelson Mandela Bay kicks-off academic year on a high note

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has kickstarted the 2025 academic year on a high note, as the municipality's councillors and officials handed over essential resources, to ensure that learners are well equipped for a successful school year ahead.

The municipality’s mayor, Babalwa Lobishe marked the opening of the new school year by launching a Back-to-School campaign at Gqeberha City Hall, on Wednesday.

Lobishe is spearheading a Back-to-School campaign to provide essential resources, including sanitary towels, school shoes, and maths and science books.

The mayor said the campaign seeks to scrap the underprivilege identity among pupils in Nelson Mandela Bay, as thousands of learners returned to school.

"We have launched this campaign with the aim of making sure that no child goes to school and finds themselves feeling under privileged. We have noticed that there are kids who are still experiencing extreme means of living in poverty, so we want to address this scourge, and ensure that every learner gets assistance.”

Lobishe has also invited all residents, including, businesses, councillors and employees, who want to make a difference to end period poverty in the metro, to come forward and assist with essential resources.

“It is not only the physical stuff that we appeal to our residents to donate, but also their time by volunteering hours to provide learner support in areas, such as homework, and providing tutorials to those in need, which will make a difference in improving learner academic performance.”

"We make this call to everyone in our city to come and donate their time, funds and essential academic resources, for the betterment of the future of our children in the city,” Lobishe explained.

The mayor also used the opportunity to congratulate the class of 2024 Matriculants, who have made the municipality proud with impressive results.

The Eastern Cape’s Class of 2024 set a new record of 84.9% pass rate, a notable shift from the 76.5% in 2019 to 84.9% in 2024, representing a 4.17% shift over the term.

“We still believe in the saying that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and understand that positive results at Matric level are a culmination of work and support that started from Grade 1.

Donations for essential resources can be dropped off at any Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Building, including City Hall in Gqeberha, metro customer care centres, and operational libraries around the metro. – SAnews.gov.za
 

GabiK
Thu, 01/16/2025 - 11:16

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KZN on track towards its 90% target, Premier

Location: News

KZN on track towards its 90% target, Premier

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, has joined in the jubilation as the province proudly secured second position in the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results.

KwaZulu-Natal achieved an impressive 89.5% pass rate, representing a 3.1% improvement from the previous year, and positions the province as the second-best performing in South Africa, following the Free State.

Ntuli officially announced the 2024 matric results during a prestigious ceremony at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban on Tuesday.

“This is proof that the essential foundation of basic education in KwaZulu-Natal is being laid brick by brick, district by district, school by school, and learner by learner,” Ntuli said.

Ntuli said the provincial government was firmly on track towards its 90% target, and he had “no doubt this performance will be surpassed in 2025”.

Of 161 962 learners who sat for the National Senior Certificate exams in the province, 144 990 learners passed, with 84 000 Bachelor passes, which is the highest in the country, marking a significant improvement from 45.7% in 2023 to 52.2% in 2024.

The province also saw an increase in schools achieving a 100% pass rate, from 246 in 2023 to 321 in 2024.

The district performances also showed an impressive growth, with Umkhanyakude leading nationally at 92.8%, followed by Ugu (91.7%) and Umlazi (89.8%).

Ntuli commended the provincial Education Department and MEC Sipho Hlomuka for their unwavering commitment to academic excellence.

The Premier acknowledged the invaluable contributions of educators, including school governing bodies and organised labour.

Special recognition was given to top achievers and schools, including special and correctional services centres, which achieved a 100% pass rate.

He encouraged the learners who did not pass to enrol for the Second Chance Matric Programme, to improve their results.

“Success is not measured by how many times you fall, but by how many times you rise. Never give up,” the Premier said.

Ntuli further encouraged learners to embrace the evolving job market and equip themselves with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, to remain competitive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

“You are our future in the making. Grab every opportunity with both hands. KwaZulu-Natal is counting on you to make our province a better place for all.”

Hlomuka commended the matriculants’ perseverance, determination, and commitment.

“The matric class of 2024 commenced their high school journey during the peak of COVID-19 and faced unprecedented challenges, including climate impacts. but they triumphed,” Hlomuka said.

Hlomuka commended uMkhanyakude District for leading with an outstanding 92.8%, as well as teachers in the province for their dedication.

"A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated educators, parents, and stakeholders for their unwavering support. The journey towards educational excellence continues, as we empower future leaders for a brighter tomorrow," Hlomuka said. - SAnews.gov.za

GabiK
Tue, 01/14/2025 - 15:23

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Government makes quality of education a priority

Location: News

Government makes quality of education a priority

While South Africa has made good progress in expanding education access, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says government must now focus on improving the quality of the education that learners receive.

“Learners must leave our schools with an education and a qualification that allows them to pursue higher education opportunities or enter the job market in order to live lives of dignity,” Gwarube said on Monday.

Addressing the announcement of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results in Johannesburg, the Minister said too many learners progress through the basic education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy, which are critical for performing well in gateway subjects like Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

“These deficits accumulate over time, limiting learners' abilities to succeed in higher grades and in these gateway subjects and diminishing their prospects of accessing further education and employment opportunities.

“This trend manifests itself in the decrease in enrolments in subjects such as Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Accounting and Economics, which are all subjects that are critical for a nation’s ability to advance in science, innovation and economic development,” the Minister said.

In response to these trends, the Department of Basic Education will embark on an urgent strategic reorientation of the system towards strengthening foundational learning.

“Furthermore, provinces, districts and schools must put together plans to arrest the decline of enrolments in critical subjects. The systemic interventions that we will undertake in this regard include expanding access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) for learners before they enter the basic education system and improving the quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Phase.

“I believe that this strategic reorientation towards ECD and the Foundation Phase will improve the quality of the learning outcomes we are able to achieve throughout the system – from Grades R to 3 in the Foundation Phase, Grades 4 to 6 in the Intermediate Phase, Grades 7 to 9 in the Senior Phase and ultimately Grades 10 to 12 in the Further Education and Training Phase,” the Minister said.

In doing so, more learners are expected to move through schooling with greater confidence to take on and succeed in subjects that set them on a path for personal and professional success.

“Universal access to quality ECD programmes by 2030 remains a central goal. We will continue our mass registration drive to formalise ECD programmes, aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for ECD and supported by newly developed learning and teaching support materials.

“We will also prioritise the professional development of ECD practitioners and their integration into the basic education system, as well as prioritise the resourcing of ECD centres, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” the Minister said.

She said the department would intensify support for teacher training with a strategic focus on improving literacy and numeracy in the Foundation Phase.

“We will also ensure that the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme prioritises students who want to pursue a teaching career in the Foundation Phase. 

“During 2025, we will be reviewing the Post Provisioning Norms as a matter of urgency to ensure that they account for our drive to achieve universal access to quality Grade R and our strategic focus on improving reading and calculating in the Foundation Phase,” the Minister said.

These norms have not been updated in over 20 years and determine how educator posts are distributed to public schools.

“By prioritising updates to the National Catalogue of Learning and Teaching Support Materials for the Foundation Phase in 2025, Provincial Education Departments and public schools will be able to purchase textbooks, learning materials and equipment from a comprehensive, educationally sound and linguistically inclusive list that has been specifically approved by experts to achieve national curriculum standards in the Foundation Phase.

“If we are to improve the quality of education outcomes, we need to protect teaching and learning time, ensuring that our teachers are at school and teaching for the entire day, for 230 days per year, to ensure adequate coverage of the curriculum,” said the Minister. 

Gwarube announced that 615 429 learners passed the NSC – more than any other time in the country’s history. 

South Africa’s national pass rate for the 2024 National Senior Certificate increased from 82.9% in 2023 to 87.3%. - SAnews.gov.za

 

nosihle
Mon, 01/13/2025 - 20:50

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