Latest news with #R955
The Citizen
21 hours ago
- The Citizen
DA asks for DBE intervention over unpaid teacher assistants in Limpopo
Several teacher assistants in Giyani say they have gone unpaid for June and July, but the department says all payments have been made. The DA is asking Limpopo MEC for basic education Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya for her immediate intervention regarding the claimed nonpayment of teacher assistants in several schools in the Giyani area of Mopani district. The party said it was this week inundated with calls from teacher assistants saying they were not paid salaries for June and July. But the department said the DA was 'barking up the wrong tree'. The role of teacher assistants DA provincial spokesperson on basic education Jacques Smalle said teacher assistants play a vital role. The programme was important as it supports the department in its day-today work in the school community. ALSO READ: Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust 'The province has over 10 000 teacher assistants and it is unclear how many of them are unpaid,' said Smalle yesterday. 'This betrays the spirit of an initiative meant to create job opportunities for youth interested in education. We call on MEC Ramakhanya to urgently investigate the matter.' Frustration over lack of feedback Two teacher assistants from Giyani confirmed they did not get their salaries for June and July. 'When we talk to the department at circuit level, they send us from pillar to post. They claim they are working on the matter but later fail to pick up our calls for feedback.' The department brushed the allegations aside, claiming all assistant teachers were paid in line with the service level agreement. NOW READ: Bela Act: Here's how you can have your say on school regulations in South Africa
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Millions spent on empty Gauteng schools
Here's your daily news update for Wednesday, 13 August 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. In the news today, school construction projects in Gauteng that have cost almost R1 billion are yet to see pupils or teachers in classrooms. Meanwhile, the Information Regulator is investigating a complaint against Truecaller by several companies and individuals for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act. Furthermore, the R44 000 raised on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be donated to a trust of the South African Police Service. Weather tomorrow: 14 August 2025 The South African Weather Service has forecasted partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions over the central and eastern parts of the country, with isolated showers and thundershowers by the afternoon. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust School construction projects in Gauteng that have cost almost R1 billion are yet to see pupils or teachers in classrooms. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) provided an update on seven school development projects, some which were in their fourth year of construction. Inkululeko yeSizwe Primary School in Vlakfontein in July. Picture: Supplied / Democratic Alliance Among the worst cases is Inkululeko yeSizwe Primary School, near Vlakfontein, which remains a shell while pupils enrolled at the school are taught in old shipping containers. Contractors broke ground on the new development in late 2020 and the provincial government allocated R137 million for the project. CONTINUE READING: Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust SA companies lodge complaint against Truecaller app for violating Popia The Information Regulator has confirmed it is investigating a complaint against Truecaller by several companies and individuals for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). Truecaller is a mobile app that helps users identify unknown callers, block spam and scam calls, and manage their communication more effectively. The Truecaller app. Picture: The Citizen Companies have complained that the Trucaller app harms their businesses because it flags their numbers and charges a fee to whitelist more Logitech unveils recycled, spill-resistant keyboard and mouse The Information Regulator's spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi said Truecaller has been accused of interfering with the privacy of an individual. CONTINUE READING: SA companies lodge complaint against Truecaller app for violating Popia Campaign raises R44k for Mkhwanazi … but it won't go to the commissioner The funds raised on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be donated to a trust of the South African Police Service (Saps). This is according to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Picture: Gallo Images / Darren Stewart A BackaBuddy campaign was launched by social media users last month to raise money for Mkhwanazi to buy two cows as a gesture of gratitude following a widely publicised media briefing held last month by Mkhwanazi. The campaign exceeded its R35 000 target, raising R44 000 in total. CONTINUE READING: Campaign raises R44k for Mkhwanazi … but it won't go to the commissioner Joshlin Smith case: NPA ready to fight appeals in SCA if necessary after latest verdict The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it will oppose any further appeals by the three convicted people in the Joshlin Smith case should they take their case to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). On Wednesday afternoon, the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town delivered its judgment on the leave to appeal applications after hearing submissions from both the state and the defence. Jacquen Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn and Kelly Smith during the Joshlin Smith trial. Picture: Gallo Images/Jaco Marais Joshlin's mother, Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, together with Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis and Van Rhyn, had sought to appeal their convictions and sentences. The trio had been sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking, along with an additional 10 years for kidnapping, in connection with Joshlin's disappearance. CONTINUE READING: Joshlin Smith case: NPA ready to fight appeals in SCA if necessary after latest verdict Here's how much National Treasury has spent on consultants in two years The National Treasury has spent hundreds of millions of rands on consultants for specialised projects over the past two years. This was revealed in a written parliamentary reply from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Picture: iStock Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) MP Wouter Wessels requested details on whether the National Treasury had appointed any consultants in the last two years, including the nature of their work and the duration of their contracts. Godongwana detailed an extensive list of service providers and revealed that R350 million (R350 902 028.62) was paid to at least 30 consultancy firms between April 2023 and June this year. CONTINUE READING: Here's how much National Treasury has spent on consultants in two years Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Germiston Home Affairs fire | Unemployment increases | Dewald Brevis sets new record
IOL News
11-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
KZN matric pupils face uncertainty as teacher unions initiate work to rule protest
Education experts have slammed this move and called on unions to 'stop using pupils as bargaining chips'. Image: AI/Facebook EXTRA classes for KZN matric pupils have been cancelled and the June exams postponed, after teacher union Sadtu announced its work-to-rule action. Education experts have slammed this move and called on unions to 'stop using pupils as bargaining chips'. This action will see teachers strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of their jobs, performing tasks exactly specified in their contracts and nothing more. Some schools in KZN have already sent out circulars to parents advising that extra classes for matric pupils had been cancelled and the postponement of the June examinations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Sadtu provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza, said the education system in the province had collapsed due to various failures by the Department of Education' (DoE). 'There has been non-payment of the basic finance allocations and failure to adhere to national norms and standards. For example, for Quintile one to three schools, the DoE in KZN pays R955 per pupil instead of R1 602, resulting in a shortfall of R647. 'There was a failure to pay the basic finance allocation to schools and the acting allowances to office-based teachers and education workers. Schools have no money to procure other teaching and learning support resources. There was also the non-payment of service providers that supplied schools with stationery in January, and the non-payment of Grade R practitioners in April. 'There has been no participation of schools in extracurricular activities, as the department claims it has no funds. Teacher appreciation initiatives like the National Teaching Awards are under threat, as the department failed to organise this again in 2024 claiming it had no funds,' she added. Caluza said the department had engaged in 'silent retrenchment' processes as there was a moratorium on filling of vacancies for school clerks, teacher assistants, and security. 'The lack of security in schools is exposing teachers to danger. Two teachers had their vehicles hijacked at gunpoint on school premises in two months. The DoE's failures are not just in contempt of the education policy, but also a blatant disregard of the Constitution. 'The state of education in the province is dire and dysfunctional. Senior officials in the department are well aware of the crisis and yet have done nothing to improve the situation. 'Sadtu has declared the KZN DoE as having collapsed, and as a result, we have embarked on a work-to-rule campaign. Members will not attend meetings or workshops organised by the department. Principals will not attend meetings or workshops and will boycott making submissions until the department pays all the money owed to schools. They will focus exclusively on seven hours of classroom teaching, and no extra classes will be conducted,' Caluza added. Doctor Ngema, general secretary for the National Teachers Union (Natu), said the education system was in a crisis. 'We cannot remain silent while the constitutional right to basic education, enshrined in the Constitution, is systematically eroded. Owing to many years of budget cuts, we are now left with a chronic state of underfunding and infrastructural decay – leaving many schools with dilapidated classrooms, school infrastructure, a lack of basic amenities such as toilets, electricity, and safe classrooms. 'Despite extensive engagements with provincial departments of education and the DoE, Natu has exhausted all diplomatic avenues to address these critical issues. Consequently, we are compelled to initiate picket actions to demand urgent change. We call on all school principals to refrain from using personal funds to sustain school operations, as it is the responsibility of the department to provide all necessary resources for the June exams,' he added. Labby Ramrathan, a UKZN education expert, said unions needed to stop using pupils as bargaining chips. 'This threat of strike action is a concern for pupils. It is unwise, and irresponsible of unions to do this. If they claim that the KZN education system has collapsed, then they should deal with the education system, and not use the pupils as bargaining chips,' he added. Ramrathan said unions needed to find effective ways to deal with their grievances. 'They should take the DoE to court, instead of putting the children at a disadvantage. By embarking on protest action, they are creating an unstable environment. Teacher unions need to find new ways of dealing with challenges. They are destabilising the education system by using strike action and withdrawal of support as a weapon of threat. They must be able to deal with the DoE independently, without threats that affect the pupils,' he added. Vee Gani, chairperson of the KZN Parents Association, said the unions concerns were valid, and it was unfortunate that exams had to be postponed. He said he had been inundated with calls from concerned parents after they were notified that the June examinations had been postponed. 'Some schools have taken a decision to postpone the exams. It is a worry, but unions are fighting for norms and standards. Schools are unable to function without the proper finances. In essence, it's a ripple effect. If service providers or subsidies are not paid, how can schools sustain themselves? 'How are they going to function and deliver quality education under those circumstances. The budget for education has been cut, but teachers and principals are expected to do more with less. It's difficult to operate a school. Some schools have resources but others don't. I agree that the schooling system is collapsing, because schools are clearly not functioning properly,' he added. Gani said parents, especially those with children in grades 11 and 12, were concerned about their children's education. 'Pupils use their grade 11 and 12 results to apply for tertiary education. Pupils not having extra programmes will set them back. Nobody knows how long this stand-off will last, but we are hoping that the issues are resolved soon, so that teaching and learning can resume,' Gani said. THE POST
