Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has defended the government’s response to rescuing illegal miners trapped underground in Stilfontein, North West.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s call for one examination for all matriculants in South Africa has sparked a debate on the future of the education system, with analysts warning it won’t be the cure for inequality.
Furthermore, Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has rubbished claims of a National Health Insurance (NHI) compromise that would see everyone employed in the formal sector forced to join a medical aid scheme, saying there is no plan to do that and that it is unfounded and ridiculous.
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Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has defended the government’s response to rescuing illegal miners trapped underground in Stilfontein, North West.
Mantashe, accompanied by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, visited the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine on Tuesday after being briefed on the ongoing rescue operation.
The rescue mission, which began on Monday, 13 January, follows a high court ruling on 10 January ordering government to rescue the illegal miners, also known as zama zamas.
CONTINUE READING: ‘I don’t need to be pushed’: Mantashe on rescue mission of Stilfontein illegal miners
The matric class of 2024 is celebrating their 87.3% pass rate, but hats must also be doffed for those who guided them along the way.
Teachers face difficult circumstances and heightened scrutiny daily, and the announcement of matric results is their day to bask in reflective glory.
Each year brings its own challenges, and this group holds a special place in the hearts of many educators, as they were the Grade 8 learners whose first year of high school was disrupted by the global health crisis in 2020.
CONTINUE READING: ‘It’s not easy’: Are the teachers behind matric results top achievers appreciated enough?
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s call for one examination for all matriculants in South Africa (SA) has sparked a debate on the future of the education system, with analysts warning it won’t be the cure for inequality.
South Africa’s current education system includes two main assessment models: the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), often offered by private schools, and the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (Caps) offered by public schools. Matrics under these systems also write IEB or National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams.
Lesufi’s “one exam for all” proposal is a suggestion for a single matriculation exam for all students in South Africa, regardless of whether they attend public or private schools.
CONTINUE READING: Is Lesufi’s ‘one exam for all’ a political ploy? Experts weigh in
The African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, have condemned the “coordinated effort” to discredit its stakeholders and portray them negatively.
This comes after weekend reports indicated that Mbalula used a yacht to travel to Robben Island instead of the ferry.
The party was in the Western Cape over the weekend, where it celebrated its 113th birthday in Khayelitsha.
CONTINUE READING: ‘I was not gallivanting in the sea on a yacht,’ says Mbalula on Robben Island trip
Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has rubbished claims of a National Health Insurance (NHI) compromise that would see everyone employed in the formal sector forced to join a medical aid scheme, saying there is no plan to do that and that it is unfounded and ridiculous.
According to an article in Rapport on the weekend, the ANC plans to table a compromise proposal at the first Cabinet lekgotla of 2025 that all South Africans working in the formal sector must be obliged to obtain medical coverage.
In addition, the state will compete with medical schemes to provide cheaper medical insurance through the NHI.
CONTINUE READING: ‘Unfounded and ridiculous’: Health minister rubbishes claims of NHI compromise
READ HERE: Matric results 2024 | Results ‘breach’ probe | Govt accused of killing Stilfontein miners
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