Category: English

Source: Government of South Africa

Friday, August 22, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has reminded parents that the 2025 Online Admissions Application Period for Grade 1 and Grade 8 will close on Friday, 29 August 2024, at midnight. 

In a statement on Friday, the department said that all public ordinary schools, district offices and 81 Decentralised Walk-In Centres will remain open to assist parents with applications until the system closes.

“No new applications will be accepted after the application period has closed,” the department said. 

The department announced that as of Thursday, 21 August 2025, a total of 738 445 Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications were recorded by the GDE Online Admissions System.

Grade 1 received 315 865 applications and Grade 8 received 422 580 totalling 738 445. 

“With seven days from the end of the application period, parents are urged to apply online without delay, or face disappointment,” the department said. 

Parents and guardians who have already applied to schools are reminded that certified copies of documents must be submitted to schools or uploaded online by 12:00 noon on 9 September 2025.

“A certified copy of the Proof of Home Address is a very important document as it is used to determine placement.
“Applicants who have not submitted or uploaded certified copies of Proof of Home Address by 9 September 2025, will have Incomplete Applications and therefore, will not receive any placement offers during the Placement Period,” the department said.

Equally, applicants who uploaded or submitted fraudulent or invalid documents will forfeit the opportunity to receive placement offers.

Documents required 

It is important to note that certified copies of the following documents are required:
1.    SA Parent ID or Passport and Child’s Birth Certificate or Passport; OR
Refugee Permit
Asylum Seeker Permit,
Permanent Residence Permit
Study Permit

2. Proof of Home Address 
3. Proof of Work Address
4. Most recent Grade 7 School Report (Grade 8 applicants only)
5. Clinic Card / Immunisation Report (Grade 1 applicants only)

Proof of Home Address

The following documents are accepted as Proof of Home Address:
Homeowners:
Municipal account not older than 3 months in the name of the applicant parent bearing the full residential address 
Tenants / renters:
1. Municipal account not older than 3 months in the name of the landlord (homeowner) bearing the full physical residential address; AND
2. Certified copies of the following documents: 
Lease agreement signed by landlord and tenant, bearing the full physical residential address; and
Rental Payment receipt with full physical residential address not older than 3 months; and
Statement of any account in the name of the applicant parent bearing the full physical residential address, not older than 3 months

Proof of Home Address: Other

Applicant who lives in a family home whereby the municipal bill bears the name of their parent:
In addition to the municipal account in the name of the homeowner (parent of the applicant parent), the applicant must submit the ID of her/ his parent and any statement of account not older than 3 months, in the name of the applicant parent, and addressed to the same address as the municipal account.

Applicant renting a back room with no lease agreement or proof of payment/statement:
A lease agreement is mandatory.

Important to note, “Offer of purchase” and Affidavits will not be accepted as proof of home address
Incomplete Applications Breakdown
To date, a total of 97 719 incomplete applications are recorded. 
Of these: 
20 265 registered parent details only (Step 1 and 2) – no learner registered, no application made to any school and no documents uploaded / submitted
30 547 registered parent and learner details only (Step 1 – 3), but failed to apply to any schools or upload / submit documents; and
46 907 registered parent and learner details, and applied to schools (Step 1 – 4), but failed to submit / upload documents OR submitted / uploaded documents could not be confirmed or validated
“All parents under this category of Incomplete Applications must complete the 5 Step Application Process (incl. selection of schools, submit/upload documents) by 29 August 2025 to qualify for placement offers. 
“Additional time to upload /submit documents is allowed up to 12:00 (midday) on 9 September 2025 only for those who applied on 29 August 2025,” the department said. 

Placement period

Upon successful completion of an application online, and once all documents have been verified, parents are encouraged to wait to receive placement offers.

The placement period is scheduled to commence on Thursday, 16 October 2025, when the department starts sending placement offers to parents and guardians with complete applications via SMS.
Placement offers cannot be issued to all parents on the announced date, hence offers will be issued throughout the rest of the year until all learners have been placed.
Parents with Complete Applications are advised to patiently await placement offers.

Receiving and accepting Placement Offers

To receive and accept Placement Offers, parents must:
Login to the system to view whether they have any outstanding documents and submit / upload immediately.
Keep the cell phone number you provided when registering to apply as ongoing communication regarding status of the application and Placement offers will be forwarded to parents via SMS.
Parents must keep their username and password safe to login to the system and view placement offers from 16 October 2025 until the department announces that all learners are placed. 

Placement Criteria

It is critical to remember that the following criteria is considered in order of priority below when placing learners (not first come first served):
Home address within the school’s feeder zone, closest to the school
Sibling / previous school
Work address within school’s feeder zone
Home address within 30km radius
Home address within 30km radius
High Pressure Areas
The department has identified a number of high-pressure areas where schools received an overwhelming number of applicants which exceeds the capacity of learners that each school can accommodate. 

Approximately 277 of 1408 primary schools registered more applicants than the available capacity; and approximately 221 of 674 secondary schools registered more applicants than the available capacity.
The department said that applicants that cannot be accommodated in schools that have reached capacity are transferred to the next closest school with available space.

“Nineteen new or satellite schools were established between 2024 and 2025. Primary schools increased from 1403 to 1408. Secondary schools increased from 660 to 674,” the department said. 

Placement of Unplaced Applicants

Parents / guardians are reminded that all placements are subject to the priority of the Placement Criteria and availability of space (capacity) per school.

“Therefore, applicants that cannot be accommodated at the schools they applied to due to the schools having reached capacity, will receive transfer offers of placement at the next closest school with available space.
“Transfer offers are made only after confirmation that none of the schools which a parent applied to has available space,” the department said. 

Parents or guardians who are offered transfer placement at schools that they have not applied to have the option to accept or decline the placement offer. 

Transfers, Objections and Appeals 

Parents have seven days to accept or decline a transfer placement offer. If the transfer placement offer is declined, the parent may submit an objection within seven days.

The department requires 14 days to respond to objections and provide an outcome to parents.
Parents have seven days to accept or decline the objection outcome.

If a parent declines the objection outcome, the parent may submit an appeal within seven days.
“The department requires 21 days to respond to appeals and provide an outcome to parents. The Appeal outcome is final. Only applicants that could not be accommodated at schools applied to may submit an objection and appeal,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has urged South Africans to view rapid urbanisation not as a crisis but a “repository of opportunities” capable of driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and dignity for millions.

“Well-governed cities can be the engineers of jobs, hubs of innovation, and places where people live with dignity,” Ntuli said in his keynote address to the National Urban Forum (NUF).

Held from 21–22 August, the forum brought together policymakers, urban planners, civil society representatives, academics, and government leaders across the country to chart strategies for inclusive and sustainable urban growth.

Ntuli said that if properly managed, urbanisation can help unlock South Africa’s transformation by reducing poverty, expanding opportunities for youth, and building globally competitive urban economies.

The NUF, he added, served as an “incubator for new ideas and practical strategies” to shape South Africa’s urban future, with a focus on spatial transformation, sustainable development, and social justice.

While offering opportunities, Ntuli warned that rapid growth also poses challenges, including rising demand for housing, transport and basic services, alongside the growing threats of climate change and infrastructure backlogs.

The Premier outlined several priority areas that require urgent attention, and these include:
•    Strengthening governance so municipalities deliver efficiently and transparently.
•    Investing in infrastructure to create inclusive, resilient, and climate-conscious cities.
•    Integrating rural and urban economies so development is balanced across the province.
•    Expanding youth and women’s participation in urban economies to reduce unemployment.
•    Driving sustainability through green planning, efficient energy use, and smart mobility.

The Premier also called for stronger partnerships across sectors, including business, academia, and civil society, to deliver solutions that are practical, scalable, and inclusive.

“Urban development cannot be the responsibility of government alone. Cities are where the majority of our youth reside. If properly managed, they can be the platforms that unlock pathways for young people to access jobs, skills, and entrepreneurship,” he said.

Ntuli reaffirmed the province’s commitment to work closely with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and other stakeholders to ensure urbanisation becomes a powerful driver of transformation, dignity, and prosperity.

The forum took place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

The Western Cape Provincial Government has called for the whole of government, every industry partner, researcher, farmer, and citizen – urban and rural – to unite in defence of the province’s agriculture sector.

This follows an increasing threat of animal disease outbreaks, including African swine fever, particularly in informal farming settlements, rabies in Cape Fur seals, and the detection of the low pathogenicity strain of avian influenza virus (AI H5), as well as other minor diseases. The AI H5 is mainly found in wild birds and generally causes mild or no symptoms in poultry. 

The Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development, and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, warned that diseases affecting isolated areas could significantly impact the province’s agricultural sector, its economy, and the thousands of jobs dependent on the industry.

“We cannot afford to be complacent. Our Growth for Jobs strategy is built on clear goals and outcomes to create a better Western Cape for all. Disease outbreaks pose a direct threat to this vision.” 

However, through cooperation, vigilance, and swift action, he believes the province can protect the health and sustainability of this sector and the well-being of every resident.

According to Meyer, biosecurity goes beyond trade and transnational movements of goods; it builds the foundation of disease prevention and control. 

“This has practical implications for communities at the local level and in fast-changing and growing agri-food systems, where the production, processing, and distribution of food, plants, and animals are highly dynamic.” 

State Veterinarian at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s office in Swellendam, Dr Christi Kloppers, said implementing biosecurity measures in informal or subsistence farming operations presents significant challenges for controlling animal diseases.

“The provincial and municipal resources should be used optimally to protect the economy and the livelihoods of our residents,” Kloppers. 

The MEC said every outbreak prevented was “a business saved, a job protected, and a family’s future secured”. 

“This means being alert, reporting suspected cases immediately, and adhering to the strictest biosecurity protocols – on farms, during the transport of livestock, and throughout the entire value chain.”

Meyer said this was not just an agricultural issue but had an economic and social imperative. 

“By acting together now, we can safeguard our food security, sustain our exports, maintain the trust of our trading partners, and protect the livelihoods of thousands of Western Cape families.” 

In the meantime, the provincial government is mobilising all available resources, coordinating closely with national authorities, and working together with industry to keep our province safe. 

“As highlighted during my recent engagement with executive mayors and municipal managers, we believe that biosecurity is everyone’s business. So, throughout the value chain – from farm to fork – we should take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of agricultural produce. 

“Doing so will support economic growth and help us create more jobs,” Meyer added. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Task team set up in Knoflokskraal land occupation matter

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