馃嚳馃嚘South AfricaSouthern Africa
SIU uncovers maladministration and irregular expenditure in Free State premier bursaries
via The Citizen4 min read
The Special Investigating Unit SIU has revealed significant maladministration, unauthorized bursary awards, and irregular expenditure within the Free State Office of the Premier OTP concerning bursary funds from 2017 to 2018. The investigation, prompted by the Auditor-General of South Africa AGSA, found that officials negligently approved bursaries, failed to adhere to eligibility criteria, and irregularly extended contracts. Bursaries were awarded to relatives of officials, deceased individuals, foreign nationals, and ineligible officials, with millions in university accounts remaining unaccounted for. Specific instances include an official awarding bursaries to relatives without due process, another receiving funding despite not meeting requirements, and an official continuing to receive international bursary benefits after resigning. The SIU also found an irregular expenditure of over R8.3 million due to the OTP contributing 65% instead of 35% to an international scholarship, which the SIU is now seeking to recover. Some students who failed modules had their bursary contracts extended from three to seven years, and bursaries were awarded for qualifications not in the Provincial Workplace Skills Plan. A deceased student received bursaries from both the OTP and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Nsfas, with payments continuing after his death. Seven foreign nationals received bursaries despite the policy requiring South African citizenship, leading to R576,734.48 in e
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka's investigation report on the informal food industry in Gauteng highlights a critical shortage of environmental health inspectors and a significant decline in food safety compliance. The report, released on Friday, was prompted by numerous food poisoning incidents in late 2024, which resulted in the deaths of at least 23 children in Gauteng. The investigation aimed to determine if the Department of Health, municipal departments, the National Consumer Commission, and food inspectors failed in their duties. The Public Protector noted that Gauteng, with approximately 16 million residents, requires 1,600 environmental health practitioners EHPs based on international and national standards of one EHP per 10,000 people. However, the province's municipalities have an EHP staff capacity of only 30.3% overall, with Johannesburg at 50%, Ekurhuleni at 23%, and Tshwane at 21%. Sedibeng and the West Rand district municipality had the lowest rates at 16% and 18%, respectively. The report also found that while 55% of spaza shops in Gauteng's three largest municipalities are owned by foreign nationals, the overall licensing and compliance levels across the province stand at a mere 28%. This means for every licensed spaza shop, there are almost three unlicensed ones operating. Ekurhuleni had the lowest spaza shop compliance rate at 5%. Gcaleka emphasized that municipalities are responsible for regulating food sales and business registrations. She recommended t
South African schools continue to experience incidents involving pupils falling into pit toilets, despite the Department of Basic Education's pledge to eradicate them by March 2025. Recent incidents occurred at Mogogelo Primary in North West and Zakhele Primary in KwaZulu-Natal. At Mogogelo Primary, a Grade 1 pupil fell into a pit toilet after a contractor abandoned the site, leaving open inlets. The school's education spokesperson, Vuyo Mantshule, stated the school did not barricade the construction area. At Zakhele Primary, a five-year-old pupil was rescued from a pit latrine earlier this year. Kathija Yassim, an education leadership professor at the University of Johannesburg, noted that under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education Safe programme, 3,372 schools with unsafe pit toilets were identified in 2018. As of April 2025, 96% of these schools had been addressed, with 141 awaiting completion, a number that has since fallen to around 135. Yassim also highlighted that about 1,770 public schools still had some form of pit toilets in 2024, though many also had alternative sanitation. The department has allocated R1.6 billion for the 2025-26 financial year to complete pit latrine eradication. Last year, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube informed parliament that the Safe initiative had eradicated over 93% of identified pit toilets and confirmed that all 3,372 schools identified in the 2018 audit now have safe and appropriate sanitation facilities.
Nigerians are reportedly sleeping outside their embassy in Pretoria, awaiting repatriation flights two weeks after anti-migrant protests on June 30. Many have been living in South Africa for years and are now seeking assistance to return home, with some expressing concerns about the lack of support from the embassy and the safety of women and children. Meanwhile, the Malawi high commission is experiencing a significant increase in demand for aid, with the Institute for Islamic Services providing meals, winter essentials, and medical supplies to hundreds of individuals daily. A staff member from the Malawian high commission, speaking anonymously, indicated that while buses are transporting people, the influx of those seeking refuge, sometimes up to 300 daily, is overwhelming. Doctors have also expressed concern for over 40 children sleeping in the embassy's basement due to cold weather. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi stated that South Africa has deported and repatriated over 50,000 foreign nationals recently as authorities address migration concerns.