Category: Africa

Two remaining bodies of three residents who were swept away by floods in New Hanover have been identified, as recovery and humanitarian efforts continue across affected communities.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma reported that the Mayor of Umshwathi Local Municipality Mandla Zondi, Ward 02 Local Councillor Sikhumbuzo Nxumalo, and uMgungundlovu Disaster team, informed the department that the body of one resident who was swept away has been identified. All known victims have been recovered.

Giving an update on intervention by Human Settlements, following a visit by Minister Thembi Simelane, Duma said the department’s roving team has been deployed to support the ongoing recovery process and to work closely with municipal and disaster officials on the ground.

Duma expressed his deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.

The MEC confirmed the close to 19 homes that were destroyed by the floods and the recent hailstorm in New Hanover will receive urgent assistance.

He commended Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane for her swift intervention following her oversight visit to the area on Monday.

“Her visit on Monday has augmented our intervention. We have agreed that landlords who built houses along the riverbank will no longer be allowed to rent out their places. Tenants will look for safe alternative places to rent.

“People who live in both mud and block houses, not built by government, will be given Temporary Residential Units (TRU) and their houses will be demolished,” Duma said.

Duma said the department is also managing the possibilities of relocating four families who are living in houses built by the government, as the policy does not allow them to receive state housing support twice.

“Engineers will be assessing houses built away from the riverbank, which are also flooded during rainy days.”

Following another storm on Tuesday night, Duma said the department has been receiving reports from the roving teams from human settlements in various district municipalities that houses across municipalities have sustained damage.

He said information is still being consolidated as teams collaborate with disaster management officials to ensure that “no one is left behind.”

On transport, Duma said the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) team is monitoring traffic and ensuring the safety of motorists.

“We have our engineers who are also assessing road infrastructure. They will indicate if there is any need to close certain road networks. We urge motorists to keep a following distance and reduce speed,” Duma said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

South Africa’s quality councils have issued a nationwide warning to learners and parents to verify institutions and qualifications before registering for post-school education and training in 2026, as fraudulent and unaccredited providers continue to target the public.

The call was made on Friday during a joint media briefing of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the Council on Higher Education (CHE), Umalusi, and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). 

At the briefing in Pretoria, the entities stressed that while the country’s education system remains credible, the rise of bogus institutions poses a serious threat to learners’ futures and families’ finances.

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Umalusi chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Mafu Rakometsi, warned and emphasised that no school public or private, may operate or issue qualifications without being properly registered and accredited.

He noted that while the majority of schools comply with legislation, Umalusi continues to encounter illegal operators who promise “quick” matric certificates or shortcuts into the National Senior Certificate (NSC) system.

“Parents and learners must understand that only institutions registered with the provincial education departments and accredited by Umalusi may offer qualifications such as the NSC and NCV [National Certificate Vocational],” Rakometsi said.

He warned that fraudulent matric rewrite centres, back-room tuition centres, and institutions using misleading names often emerge during the matric results period, preying on anxious learners.

“There are no shortcuts in achieving a credible qualification. Any organisation that claims to issue a matric certificate without proper registration is deceiving the public,” said the quality assurance body CEO.

Occupational training targeted by scammers

QCTO CEO Vijayen Naidoo issued a firm warning against institutions falsely claiming to offer occupational certificates or the historic “Red Seal” trade test.

“As opportunities grow in the occupational training space, so does the number of unaccredited and bogus institutions claiming to offer QCTO certificates. Let us be clear: a QCTO qualification is only valid if it is offered by a QCTO-accredited skills development provider and assessed through a QCTO-accredited trade test or assessment centre,” he said. 

Naidoo said the QCTO currently has over 900 occupational qualifications and part qualifications registered on the NQF, all developed by industry and aimed at boosting employability and productivity in key sectors, including new and emerging occupations such as renewable energy, solar photovoltaic installation, and hybrid vehicle technologies.

However, he cautioned that fraudulent providers many of whom are operating online continue to lure learners with promises of guaranteed certificates, fast-track trade tests and “Red Seal” qualifications without assessment. 
“If something sounds too good to be true, it is a scam,” he said.

Naidoo also revealed that the QCTO has uncovered “unscrupulous activities” even among some accredited skills development providers and trade test centres. Action is being taken in collaboration with SAQA, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and law enforcement agencies. 

Transition from pre-2009 ‘legacy qualifications’

The QCTO is currently managing the national transition away from outdated pre-2009 qualifications. While all already-achieved legacy qualifications remain valid, students who have not yet completed them must take note of the tightened timelines.

The last enrolment for pre-2009 qualifications is now June 2026, with completion deadlines extending between June 2027 and June 2029, depending on programme-specific teach-out periods.

Students still on these pathways are urged to consult their training providers about transitioning into the modern occupational qualifications through the national credit accumulation and transfer system.

Call for due diligence

CHE CEO Dr Whitfield Green reaffirmed the credibility of South Africa’s higher education system but warned that capacity constraints and the existence of bogus institutions make vigilance essential.

Of the more than 815 000 candidates who sat for matric exams this year, the post-school education and training system can only absorb about half placing many young people in the crosshairs of illegal operators.

“No institution purporting to be a higher education institution can offer qualifications unless those qualifications are accredited by the Council on Higher Education and registered on the National Qualifications Framework,” Green said.

South Africa has 26 public universities and about 145 registered private high education institutions. Unregistered private colleges operating outside this system are illegal, and their qualifications have no standing. 

Green urged prospective students to verify qualifications on:
•    the SAQA website (NQF registration),
•    the DHET Register of Private Higher Education Institutions, and
•    the CHE’s official accreditation listings.
“There is no grey area. If it is not accredited by the CHE and not registered on the NQF, it is an illegitimate qualification,” Green said. 

Sector developments

The CHE announced several key developments expected to reshape South Africa’s higher education landscape, including: 
•    A new policy on institutional types published in May 2025, allowing for public and private universities, university colleges, and higher education colleges.
•    A revised Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework to be published in the coming months.
•    A new policy for collaborative or joint qualifications, enabling local and international institutions to jointly offer programmes.
•    A sector-wide review of hybrid and blended learning modes following shifts observed after COVID-19.
•    A comprehensive national review of initial teacher education qualifications scheduled for 2026.

Appeal to the public

During the briefing, CHE Communications Manager Ntokozo Bhengu made an appeal, highlighting the devastating effect bogus institutions have on families especially in rural areas.

“It saddens us when you find a student from a rural area whose parents had to sell livestock to pay for tuition, only to discover upon graduation that the qualification is not registered. The student has been duped and scammed, and the parents have lost money. By then, the kraal is empty. There is not a single cow left because they were trying to invest in the future of their child. 

“We plead with the media to help us elevate the message and spread it across the country so that it reaches all students and parents to avoid this unnecessary pain and suffering,” Bhengu urged. 

Verify before you register

The entities concluded the briefing with a unified message to the class of 2025, parents, teachers, and community leaders to verify the institution, and the programme offered because their future is too important to risk.

Accredited qualifications and providers can be checked on the:
•    QCTO website: www.qcto.org.za
•    SAQA qualification search
•    DHET registers
The quality councils reaffirmed their commitment to protecting learners, strengthening employer partnerships, and closing the space for fraudsters. – SAnews.gov.za 
 

Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela has expressed deep sadness following the passing of Jennifer Glennie, the founding Executive Director of the South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) and respected pioneer in the field of distance learning.

In a statement on Thursday, Manamela said Glennie’s death represented a significant loss to South Africa’s education fraternity.

Paying tribute to her lifelong work, the Minister described Glennie as “a visionary leader whose lifelong passion for education, particularly in distance learning, has left an indelible mark”.

From the apartheid era through to the democratic transition, Glennie championed access, equity, and justice in education.

Manamela highlighted her pioneering role in developing contextually appropriate, activity-based learning materials and innovative student support mechanisms that transformed South Africa’s distance education landscape.

Glennie contributed extensively to the national higher education system, including playing a central role in establishing the Council on Higher Education, serving for two decades on the Council of the University of South Africa (Unisa), and representing the country at the Commonwealth of Learning. She was also instrumental in the founding of Sol Plaatje University.

A recognised advocate for technology enabled learning, Glennie was a at the forefront of promoting Open Educational Resources (OER), to create meaningful educational opportunities for poor and marginalised groups.

“The higher education sector would not be what it is today without the dedication of pioneers like Jennifer Glennie. Her deep love for the people of this country and her abhorrence for injustice touched and improved many lives. Her role in expanding access to higher education for Africans and her legacy will continue to inspire us,” the Minister said.

He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Glennie’s family, friends, colleagues, and the entire higher education sector.

Sol Plaatje University’s Council Chairperson, Professor Randall Carolissen, described Glennie as a remarkable leader who devoted her life to expanding access to quality education at all levels for marginalised communities in South Africa.

“Glennie had a long and distinguished connection with Sol Plaatje University (SPU) where she was instrumental in setting the tone for the impeccable governance culture that guided the Council through its difficult early years. She served as the Chairperson of the Interim Council in 2013 and then as the Deputy Chairperson of the Inaugural Council from 2014 to 2022.

“She was the Deputy Chairperson of both the Executive Committee and the Remuneration Committee of Council; a member of the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) and later served as the Chairperson of the ARC until the end of her term on Council,” Carolissen said. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South African men to stand up and be counted in the national fight against gender-based violence (GBV), warning that the country faces a pandemic of violence that will continue to destroy families and communities unless men take responsibility. 

Addressing delegates at the 2025 Men’s Indaba at Lemo Green Park in Bloemfontein on Thursday, the President said he was encouraged to see “brothers, fathers, grandfathers, uncles and sons of our nation” gathered with a shared purpose. 

“You are here because you recognise that violence against women and children is a pandemic, and a crisis that will destroy our nation if we do not stop it. You are here because you are ready to stand up and be counted as men and boys who declare: ‘Not in my Name,’” President Ramaphosa said.

The Indaba coincides with the global 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign. 

The President noted that the latest crime statistics show a drop in certain serious crimes but a rise in contact sexual offences and attempted sexual offences.

“That means more women and girls, and even young boys, have been victims of sexual assault, rape and attempted rape. Every day across this country, the safety and dignity of women and children is being undermined by the actions of violent men,” he said. 

President Ramaphosa reiterated that gender-based violence is rooted in the actions, choices and cultural attitudes of men.

“Gender-based violence is not a problem of women. Gender-based violence is the actions of men, and about the terrible crimes they commit,” he said.

He acknowledged government’s ongoing interventions including the opening of a new Sexual Offences Court in Botshabelo earlier in the day but stressed that these efforts alone would not end GBV. 

“Without directly engaging men, we will continue to have marches, hold protests and conduct social media campaigns; all led by women. And the statistics will not change,” he said.

Broken families 

The President further highlighted deep-rooted social issues that contribute to violence, including father absence, unemployment, school dropout rates, substance abuse and the pressures men face in society. 

“South Africa has a crisis we don’t speak about openly enough, and it is broken families,” he said, noting that the majority of children do not live with their biological fathers.

He warned that many boys are growing up without male role models, leaving them vulnerable to gangs, crime and substance abuse.

“Many men in this country are suffering from depression from being unemployed, from isolation and loneliness…struggling with alcoholism and drug dependency,” he added.

President Ramaphosa also criticised harmful portrayals of masculinity promoted in communities, on social media and in pop culture.

“The image is being pushed everywhere that violence is showing strength… and that being kind and compassionate makes you weak, a coward and a ‘simp’,” he said.

Abuse in everyday spaces

The President detailed the various forms of abuse facing women and girls from intimate partner violence to exploitation, coercion and emotional harm.

“The abusers of women and children live among us. They are our fathers, our sons, our grandfathers, uncles, cousins and friends. And most shamefully, when they happen, other men look away,” he said. 

He called for honest reflection among men about the underlying attitudes fuelling abusive behaviour.

Safe spaces

The President spoke of the need for consistent, nationwide dialogues involving men and boys, beyond the annual 16 Days campaign, to create safe spaces for vulnerability and accountability.

These conversations, he said, must address prevention, psychosocial support for boys in schools, rehabilitation of offenders and community-level interventions.

“South Africa does not need a so-called new generation of men. It needs the men and boys of this generation to do better, and to be better. We need men who are protectors of women, not perpetrators,” he said. 

The President ended his address with a strong call to action, emphasising that the tide will only turn when men take a stand.

“Men of South Africa, I call on you to stand up and be counted. Let us say resoundingly: not in our name. GBV will fall when men rise. Not in violence, but in respect, courage and accountability,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za