SCHOOL SAFETY TO PROTECT LEARNERS AND EDUCATORS #KASIBCNEWS 

As schools across Gauteng reopen for the 2025 academic year tomorrow, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has called on various Government Departments to prioritize the implementation of recommendations of a Focused Intervention Study (FIS) on School Safety.

The FIS titled “Assessing the Effectiveness of School Safety Interventions in Fighting Crime in Gauteng Schools”, was tabled and formally adopted during a House Sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature last year and was jointly conducted by the Portfolio Committees on Community Safety and Education as a result of the prevalence of violent crimes in Gauteng schools.

The FIS was focused on assessing the effectiveness of programmes of various government departments, which are aimed at creating safer learning environments at schools across the province. Amongst others, the objectives of the study were to investigate factors contributing to the scourge of violence at schools, ascertain the level of implementation of safety plans, the multi-disciplinary diversion programmes, as well as the impact of the adopt-a-cop programme in deterring criminal behavior at schools.

In gathering data for the FIS both Committees of the Legislature conducted unannounced oversight visits at several schools which are among the 75 high-risk schools in the Province, as well as conducting stakeholder engagement sessions with key and relevant stakeholders within the education and safety sector.  

In one of the schools that the Committees visited, Eldorado Park Secondary School, a learner was stabbed during the joint Committee oversight visit, revealing the shocking state of safety in schools.

Some of the joint Committee findings exposed shocking realities of learners carrying dangerous weapons, illicit substances being abused on school premises and disturbing incidents of bullying, gangsterism, and tribalism leaving both learners and educators at risk.

Several recommendations have been made to Government Departments, demanding urgent implementation to prevent further tragedies and they include:

➢ The Department of Community Safety in collaboration with Law enforcement Agencies must enhance the random school search interventions to curb violent behavior including the carrying of dangerous weapons and the use of illicit substances by learners at schools.  

➢ The Department of Education jointly with the Department of Community Safety must strengthen the deployment of security personnel such as Gauteng Traffic Wardens, security guards, or patrollers to enhance visible policing and maintain law and order at schools. Also, enhance efforts of installing CCTV cameras to ensure that learners, educators, and school physical environs are completely safeguarded.  

➢ The Departments of Community Safety, Education, and Social Development jointly develop and implement a multidisciplinary strategy to curb the scourge of illegal substance and drug abuse within school premises

The relevant Departments have been given until the 28th of February 2025 to submit an integrated report to the Legislature on all the recommendations contained in the FIS report.

The Committee warns that failure to act on these recommendations could lead to escalating violence, further endangering the future of Gauteng learners and educators.

The full FIS report is available on the Gauteng Provincial Legislature website https://www.gpl.gov.za/fis-report-on-school-safety-interventions/

 

ARREST OF ANC COUNCILLORS @KASIBCNEWS 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes reports of the arrest of ANC Councillor Tobius Malope, who was recently elected to the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality Council. He was arrested on allegations of extortion of a contractor in a construction project.

The extortion allegations against him are grave, and we expect that he will be suspended immediately. Unfortunately, such allegations are not new for ANC councillors in Limpopo, a province that has long struggled to attract investment and create job opportunities due to rampant corruption.

Local ANC Councillors, like Malope, hailed by the ANC as being “among the best to represent the best”, have usually shown more interest in personal enrichment than in addressing the needs of struggling residents. Elias Motsoaledi Municipality has faced persistent service delivery issues, with many communities lacking access to water and job opportunities.

The DA continues to fight against construction mafias and corruption at both national and local levels. We urge the public to report any instances of extortion or intimidation to the police without delay.

As we approach the 2026 local government elections, the DA is confident that the residents of Elias Motsoaledi will reject the ANC, just as South Africans did in the recent national elections.

KHOI SAN JOINS GNU @KASIBCNEWS 

*The GNU Must Not Turn a Blind Eye to the Khoisan Question of Indigenous People*

The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) unequivocally supports the quest for recognition and inclusion of the Khoisan people as the aboriginal and indigenous owners of the land south of Africa. 

It is worth the good of the national agenda to engage their spokespersons in earnest dialogue, rather than shove their concerns under the carpet and call upon the courts to treat them as vagrants on the grounds of the Union Buildings.

The failure of the authorities to make the hairline distinction between form and content is appalling, to say the least. The form of protestations is superseded by the content of the matters they raise for the immediate attention of the office of the State President.

The PAC therefore calls on the Government of National Unity, in which we play a role, to take up the question of the rights of the First Nation people to be unapologetically included in the agenda of the National Dialogue.

It is not prudent nor in the interest of cohesive and remedial justice to use coersive instruments, such as the sheriff or the so-called Red Ants, on the protesting group occupying a small site on the Union Buildings grounds.

The PAC and the Greater Aboriginal Community Council of Southern Africa (GACCSA), as a united front, are already engaged in the conversation of inclusion to address the bigger picture of the status of the original owners of the land, the preservation of their great civilisation, the development of their languages, and other related issues.

The two organizations are as ready and as willing to engage the Government of National Unity to urgently resolve the impasse and to chart the road ahead.

SESFIKILE YACHT TO ROBBEN ISLAND @KASIBCNEWS 

The African National Congress (ANC) has noted with concern certain misleading narratives surrounding the mode of transport utilised by the Secretary General, Comrade Fikile Mbalula, during the recent visit to Robben Island as part of the ANC’s 113th Anniversary commemorations. 

We categorically reject the misrepresentation that the Secretary General’s transport choice was an indulgence in luxury. This operational decision was guided solely by practical and logistical considerations to ensure the efficient execution of a tightly packed programme. The Secretary General had an intense schedule on the day, which began in Robben Island, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of Comrade Songezo Mjongile, a regional cake-cutting ceremony and multiple stakeholder engagements. 

Every engagement required precise coordination to ensure that all obligations were met without delay or disruption. To suggest that such logistical decisions were anything other than necessary is to wilfully ignore the realities of a demanding leadership role during a historic occasion. There was no unethical conduct or undue benefit derived from these arrangements. 

The businessman in question is a reputable, above-board entrepreneur, whose relationship with the ANC is limited to being a stakeholder, as is the case with many other legitimate partners who share in the goal of building a better South Africa. There is also a need to acknowledge the apparent coordinated effort to discredit the ANC by painting its stakeholders and associates in a negative light. This growing trend seeks to delegitimise lawful partnerships between the ANC and credible businesspeople, relationships that remain essential in driving forward the socio-economic transformation agenda. 

The ANC will continue to defend and foster these partnerships, as they are critical to achieving the goals of the National Democratic Revolution. The ANC remains resolute In its mission to address the socio-economic challenges facing our country. Reflecting on the overwhelming success of the January 8 Statement Rally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the people of Khayelitsha and the Western Cape for their enthusiasm, and unwavering support. 

The rally Let us remain focused on what truly matters—building a united, prosperous, and inclusive South Africa where dignity, opportunity, and shared prosperity are realised for all. Together, we can and will build the future envisioned in the Freedom Charter. 

Cautions Scholar Transport Operators #KASIBCNEWS  

MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has cautioned unregistered scholar transport operators to comply with operating licensing regulations or face the full might of the law.  This comes after the expected start of the academic year on Wednesday, 15 January 2025. 

The Department has issued a notice to all scholar transport operators, through their various associations, to ensure they operate legally and that vehicles are roadworthy.   MEC further warned that operators who do not possess valid operating licenses will not be allowed to transport learners and may have their vehicles fined or impounded.  "Our priority is to save lives in the learner transport system. 

Those scholar transport operators without operating licenses will not be allowed to ferry learners and those who do can expect to face the harshest consequences”, said MEC Diale-Tlabela  Traffic law enforcement officials will be conducting routine checks and those found not to be compliant will face the full might of the law" warned the MEC.  

GONE TO SOON WINNIE KHUMALO @KASIBCNEWS

It is with profound sadness to learn of the passing of the legendary Winnie Khumalo, who tragically left us on 7 January 2025 at the age of 51. Her untimely death marks a great loss for South Africa and the music industry.

Born on 20 July 1973 in Soweto, Winnie Khumalo was raised by her grandmother in a time of vibrant cultural life.

Her early education began at Vuyo Lower Primary and continued at Esiyalwini Higher Primary, ultimately culminating in her matriculation at Mncube Senior Secondary School.

At the tender age of 15, Winnie released her debut album, Hey Laitie, Tshina Tshina, produced by the renowned Sello Chicco Twala. She followed this with another album, Dlamini, setting the stage for a prolific music career that spanned decades.

Her musical journey was nothing short of remarkable. In the 1990s, she recorded the gospel album Izono Zami, produced by Pastor Langa Dube, and collaborated with iconic artists and groups such as the late Brenda Fassie, Brothers of Peace, Bongo Maffin, DJ Cleo, and Zonke Dikana. She was not only a talented lead vocalist but a formidable backing vocalist, enriching the work of those she collaborated with.

After a seven-year hiatus, she returned with the electrifying album Live My Life, which became an instant classic. The title track, I Just Wanna Live My Life, dominated music charts, earning gold certification with over 25,000 copies sold and 50,000 mobile downloads. The song’s success saw her nominated for prestigious awards such as the Channel O Music Awards and the South African Music Awards, cementing her place as a trailblazer in the industry.

She collaborated with Sello Chicco Twala on Mina Ngiyohlala Nginje, and starred as Brenda Fassie in The Brenda Fassie Musical under the direction of Jerry Mofokeng.

Her later albums, including Woman (2013), Higher and Higher (2013), Ncgocgo Lo Mfazi (2015), and The Storm: Isivunguvungu (2022), reflected her personal growth and resilience. Tracks like Woman and Impilo showcased her ability to channel life’s challenges into powerful and relatable music.

On behalf of the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to her children, family, friends and the countless fans whose lives she touched. South Africa has lost a legend, but her music and contributions to our cultural tapestry will live on forever.

Rest in power, Winnie Khumalo.

RESIGNATION OF DR. MBUYISENI NDLOZI @KASIBCNEWS 

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has received the voluntary resignations of Fighter Yazini Tetyana and Fighter Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as representatives of the EFF in the Parliament of South Africa. 

The voluntary requests to be released from deployment, which were sent to the Secretary General of the EFF consecutively and within days of each other, expressed gratitude to the EFF for the opportunity to serve the organization and the people of South Africa. 

The EFF has accepted the respective voluntary requests to be released from deployment of the two Fighters, who have diligently served the organization in their respective deployments since the EFF has had representation in the legislative sphere.

 Fighter Tetyana has served in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature and subsequently the Parliament of South Africa, while Fighter 

Dr. Ndlozi has served in the National Assembly since 2014. They have both been exemplary in their deployments and acted as commendable Public Representatives. The EFF wishes the Fighters well in their future endeavors.