Latest news with #Sibisi
Eyewitness News
7 days ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
KwaZulu-Natal government ordered to pay crèches
Judge Siphokazi Jikela, sitting in the high court in Pietermaritzburg, has ordered the KwaZulu-Natal government to pay three Early Childhood Development centres who are owed between R37,873 and R63,784 each. Early Childhood Development (ECD) subsidies are set by the national government, currently at R17 a day per child, but the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has been failing to pay centres on time. The three centres are among at least 275 in the province that have struggled with late subsidy payments, with one of them owed more than R130,000. Friends of South Africa (FOSA) and the KwaZulu-Natal Early Childhood Development Alliance are leading the court action against the department. The organisations are represented by the Legal Resources Centre. ECD centres provide a safe place for children to receive a foundational education and have their nutritional needs met while their parents are working or studying, says Nkosinathi Sibisi, the chairperson of FOSA. Without this support, parents either have to give up working to stay at home or leave their children alone. They appeared in an urgent court hearing on Monday, asking for the department to be ordered to pay the three centres — Sakhokwethu Crèche, Phumelela Crèche, and Zenzeleni Crèche — within five days. The Department's lawyers asked for a 30 day timeframe due to issues with their payment system. But Judge Jikela ordered the department to pay within ten days. In the second part of their court application, which will be heard in court at a future date, FOSA and their co-litigants have submitted a list of 275 centres that have been receiving their subsidies late. They want the department to file a report to the court, describing the extent of the department's breach of payment obligations and 'a plan to overcome these deficiencies'. Sibisi told GroundUp that the late payment issues go back to 2022, when the KZN education department took over the subsidy payments from the Department of Social Development (DSD). 'Even though there were payment issues when it was still done by the [DSD], it was never this bad,' said Sibisi. The department has not explained the reasons for late payments in the court documents and declined to answer GroundUp's questions. Many of FOSA's members have recently had to shut their doors because they did not have enough money to keep their centres running, says Sibisi. According to court papers, Sakhokwethu Crèche has still not received subsidy grant payments for January, February and March of 2024, and March and April of this year. Phumelela Crèche and Zenzeleni Crèche have not received any payments since before December 2024. According to their court papers, these late payments have led to staff not being paid and some being laid off. The centres have had to reduce child intake due to parents not being able to pay the fees. Thembekile Ndlovu, the principal of Zenzeleni Crèche, told GroundUp the centre has had to lay off skilled staff whose salaries they can no longer afford to pay. To feed the children, Ndlovu has had to pay for groceries out of her pocket and take out personal loans. The centre has also had to turn down parents who cannot afford to pay the basic fee, says Ndlovu. Under normal circumstances, the grant from the department would cover the fees for many of these children. Sinamuva, a crèche located in Inanda that Sibisi manages, is one of the 275 centres listed in the court papers. The creche has not received its subsidy for the last two months, leaving Sibisi with no choice but to use his own money to keep the centre going. Groundup visited Sinamuva last week. Sibisi said that they have had to start finding cheaper alternatives to feed the children, deviating from their usual nutritional plan. Some days, they have had to ask parents to pack lunches for their children, which not all of them can afford. The children's toilets also have no seats because the department had instructed the centre to replace the adult seats with children's seats, but the centre does not have enough money to buy new ones. Sisile Khoza, principal of Ntukwini pre-school, which is also on the list, said the department owes her centre over six months of subsidies. This has caused the centre to quickly run into debt as it now owes many people payment, such as day labourers, says Khoza. 'We are struggling to survive here because we are in the rural areas and most of the parents are not employed, only relying on the government child support grant,' said Khoza. According to the list, the creche is currently owed R138,000 by the department. This article first appeared on GroundUp. Read the original article here.
The South African
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates secure key star while eyeing new signings
Orlando Pirates have officially activated the two-year extension clause in Nkosinathi Sibisi's contract. Reinforcing their backline with one of their most dependable defenders ahead of the 2025/2026 Betway Premiership season, according to FARPost . Sibisi has proven to be a defensive rock for the Buccaneers since his arrival from Golden Arrows in 2022. With his contract initially set to expire in June 2025, the club wasted no time in securing his services for two more years, recognizing his critical role in their recent campaigns. The Bafana Bafana international featured in 39 matches across all competitions this season, scoring two league goals. Despite the Pirates facing an injury-ridden season, especially in defence, Sibisi held the line alongside four different partners. Sibisi has formed an integral part of the Pirates team that chased all competitions on offer in the 2024/2025 season. Since donning the black and white jersey, Sibisi has helped the club clinch three consecutive MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cup trophies. His consistency and leadership have earned him a solid reputation, especially under former coach Jose Riveiro. Riveiro, who led the team through a successful domestic run, has since left for North African powerhouse Al Ahly, opting for an early release ahead of his contract's original June expiration. The Spanish coach requested an early release from his contract with the Sea Robbers. With Riveiro gone and a new coach expected to take over soon, Pirates are gearing up for a lot of changes. As part of their rebuilding process, they've reportedly already secured several new signings. Defender Nkosikhona Ndaba at Richards Bay FC and midfielder Masindi Nemtajela from Marumo Gallants. Also another attacking midfielder Sinoxolo Kwayiba with Chippa United, winger Kabelo Kgositsile and right back Tshepo Mashiloane at Baroka FC. While midfielder Sihle Nduli from Stellenbosch FC is allegedly on his way too. Are you happy with Orlando Pirates extending Sibisi's contract? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- IOL News
Court upholds 15-year sentence for man convicted of murder over beer dispute
Pietermaritzburg High Court dismisses appeal on sentence for Samson Nkanyiso Ngeleka, who stabbed a man in a dispute over beer. Image: File The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed an appeal over a 15 year imprisonment in a murder case of a man who was stabbed to death in an argument over beer. Convicted killer Samson Nkanyiso Ngeleka (33), went to the court to appeal his sentence, claiming that the Magistrate who sentenced him made errors. Ngeleka was at a tavern in September 2020 when the unknown man confronted him. An argument ensued, and Ngeleka stabbed the man, who has not been identified. According to the State witnesses, Ngeleka was on top of his victim, stabbing him, while the man lay on the floor. An empty crate was used to hit Ngeleka to stop him from continuing the attack on the man. Ngeleka then ran away and was later found sleeping in his room, with blood-stained clothes next to his bed. Ngeleka had pleaded not guilty and denied stabbing the man. Acting Judge (AJ) Sibisi said Ngeleka refused to stop assaulting the deceased when requested to do so and only stopped after being hit with a plastic crate. 'Ngeleka and like-minded people must understand that in a civilised society, disagreements are not resolved by resorting to violence. More so in this case, the deceased was killed because of an argument over a beer,' Sibisi added. Moreover, Acting Judge Sibisi said that taking someone's life was a serious offence and described the behavior of Ngeleka as unacceptable. The Judge looked at factors that Ngeleka listed as exceptional circumstances for the court to deviate from the 15 year imprisonment and said he could not find such reasons. In 2016, he said Ngeleka was convicted and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for assault with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm. However, the 18-month sentence was suspended for five years. Ngeleka told the court that he has two minor children and he was taking care of his mother. He also cited that before he was arrested, he was working at Leach Landscaping, earning R4,600 per month. 'The fact that the appellant (Ngeleka) was employed and cared for his mother, in my view, are normal neutral factors that do not amount to substantial and compelling circumstances,' Acting Judge Sibisi said. Sibisi found that the Magistrate who sentenced Ngeleka had considered all the factors in determining the sentence, and there were no misdirections or errors. [email protected]
The Citizen
01-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Zululand NPO's third annual spelling bee a success
Low literacy levels at South African schools are of great concern, with a large percentage of Grade 4 learners struggling to read for meaning. The 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) revealed that 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa could not read for meaning in any language, a figure that has been increasing since 2016. To address these concerns and commemorate World Book Day, the eSikhaleni-based Yenzakahle Foundation brought the power of words to the fore through its third annual Spelling Bee. ALSO READ: Education has no age limit, proves Thobile This initiative continues to grow in impact and attract more participants each year. The competition, which alternates annually between primary and high school learners, was established to not only spark a love for reading and literacy among young people, but also to provide a platform for academic excellence, confidence-building and community engagement. This year's instalment shone a light on primary school learners, who showcased their spelling prowess and passion for language in front of a lively audience. Yenzakahle Foundation founder Robin Sibisi said the event has become a much-anticipated highlight on the local calendar, uniting schools, parents and community members around the shared goal of empowering youth through education. 'We are incredibly proud to have hosted our third Spelling Bee. Each year, we see learners grow not just in vocabulary, but also in courage and public speaking. It's more than spelling, it's about opening minds,' said Sibisi. Sibisi attributed this event's success to the generous support of local businesses and Ward Councillor Siboniso Ntshangase, whose contributions and commitment to youth development made the day a resounding success. 'We are deeply grateful. Their support shows the power of partnerships in uplifting our communities. As the competition continues to rotate, the NPO hopes to keep building a culture of literacy, one word at a time,' she said. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
