Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes NSFAS says plans are underway to disburse the allowances still owed to 20 000 students due to a service provider contract fiasco in 2023 and Eskom attributes the necessity of the return of load shedding to setbacks in efforts to restore three generating units to the grid.
Meanwhile, the late Dr Mbongeni Ngema has been honoured with a Special Provincial Official Funeral and a 14-year-old KwaZulu-Natal girl was among those who welcomed a baby in the first hours of 2024.
In today’s weather update, the weather service has warned about extremely uncomfortable conditions in the Western Cape and extreme high fire danger in the Northern Cape. – full weather forecast here.
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Following a crippling string of IT challenges, “improper conduct” by its former CEO and payment delays, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has announced that the bursary scheme is “determined” to make all its outstanding 2023 disbursements by 15 January.
Failing to score any pass marks from students affected as they were preparing for their end-of-year exams, the R50 billion funding system still has to disburse 20 000 living allowances outstanding from 2023.
EWN reported that NSFAS board called an urgent meeting on Sunday, 31 December to thrash out plans to deal with the scheme’s outstanding issues which, apart from student allowances, also include budget adjustment and preparation for the 2024 academic year.
CONTINUE: Here’s when NSFAS is ‘determined’ to pay those thousands of outstanding 2023 allowances
South Africans’ respite from load shedding has come to an end as Eskom announced the commencement of Stage 2 load shedding, set to run from 5am to 4pm starting this Tuesday, 2 November.
Subsequently, Stage 3 load shedding will persist until 5am on Wednesday.
Eskom attributed the necessity of these measures to setbacks in bringing back three generating units (2,148MW) to the grid.
CONTINUE: Happy New Year from Eskom?! Load shedding back on Tuesday
In a poignant recognition of his immense contribution to South African arts and the struggle for freedom, the late Dr Mbongeni Ngema has been honoured with a Special Provincial Official Funeral.
The honour was confirmed by the KwaZulu-Natal government on Monday. Ngema died tragically in a car crash on Wednesday, 27 December, while en route to KwaZulu-Natal from the Eastern Cape.
“We made the request to the President to declare Dr Ngema’s send-off a Special Provincial Official Funeral primarily to recognise his contribution to our long and painful journey for freedom,” explained KZN premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
CONTINUE: Veteran playwright Mbongeni Ngema to be given official funeral
A 14-year-old KwaZulu-Natal girl was among those who welcomed a baby in the first hours of 2024.
In KwaZulu-Natal, as of Monday morning, 84 babies were born, with the youngest mother being 14-years-old.
“This means that the child was probably 13 years old when they fell pregnant. This is unacceptable. We as a society need to take urgent action against teenage pregnancies, because it is a serious issue,” said KZN Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane.
CONTINUE: 14-year-old among those who gave birth on New Year’s Day
As South Africans celebrated the dawn of 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to unite in the new year.
Ramaphosa addressed the nation in a new years message, admitting it has been a bleak year for most South Africans.
The president said it had always been South Africa‘s greatest strength that its people were able to come together in times of difficulty.
CONTINUE: ‘Leave no one behind’ – Ramaphosa calls on South Africans to unite in new year
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