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Payment delays for school assistants due to DBE verification issues
Payment delays for school assistants due to DBE verification issues

The Citizen

time17 hours ago

  • Business
  • The Citizen

Payment delays for school assistants due to DBE verification issues

According to the GDE, the DBE recently introduced a new centralised payment system for Phase V of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has blamed ongoing payment delays affecting Education and general assistants on administrative problems within the Department of Basic Education (DBE), which is responsible for vetting and processing payments nationwide. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the GDE said it wanted to clarify the situation following mounting concerns from affected youth. 'The unfortunate delays in payments to Education and General Assistants are due to the processes being undertaken by the Department of Basic Education,' it said. National verification issues According to the GDE, the DBE recently introduced a new centralised payment system for Phase V of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. However, the new system is facing difficulties, particularly in the verification of candidates. 'The DBE acknowledged that their new centralised payment system introduced for Phase V is experiencing challenges such as verifying candidate ID numbers against the Department of Home Affairs database, matching those ID numbers and names to the correct bank account details, and resolving discrepancies where candidate data does not align with application data on the SAYouth platform,' the GDE explained. The DBE reportedly implemented the centralised system to enhance accountability and reduce fraud, but the unintended consequence has been a widespread delay in payments, affecting numerous candidates across the country, including in Gauteng. ALSO READ: Waterkloof principal transferred amid witness interference claims Gauteng verification complete While the Gauteng Education Department confirmed that it has already completed data validation at both school and district levels, many candidates in the province are still without payment due to national-level delays. 'Although Gauteng's data verification is largely complete and validated at school and district level, some of our candidates remain affected by this delay due to the DBE national centralisation of the payment process,' the department said. The GDE said it remains in contact with the DBE and hopes the situation will be resolved swiftly. 'We remain hopeful that the DBE will fast-track and conclude their verification processes to ensure that all youth employed at our schools are paid without any further delay,' the statement concluded. NOW READ: Pretoria Girls High principal found guilty of misconduct

Teen girl targeted by Instagram predator in KZN
Teen girl targeted by Instagram predator in KZN

The Citizen

timea day ago

  • The Citizen

Teen girl targeted by Instagram predator in KZN

A KZN family called for help after a man who met their teenage daughter on Instagram and threatened her arrived at their home. In the digital era, children can use their devices to interact with strangers on social media. For a 13-year-old girl from Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), what began as an online friendship with a man on Instagram turned into a nightmare when he shared explicit content, threatened her, and tracked her down. On Monday afternoon, officers from Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) were called to a residence after an Instagram follower, who had threatened the girl's life, was discovered outside her home at approximately 3.17 pm. KZN teen's stalking outside her home When the officers arrived at the home, the 18-year-old man had fled the scene in a white Toyota Corolla. The girl's family had also locked themselves inside the house. The perpetrator has been identified as a resident of Kenville, in KZN, and works for a catering company. Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said the family told the officers that their Grade 8 daughter had been chatting to a man who befriended her on Instagram in April 2024. ALSO READ: Taylor Swift stalker nabbed in Germany The teen's interaction with the man turned dark when the man allegedly repeatedly sent her nude images and homemade pornographic videos via WhatsApp and requested nudes from the girl. 'The girl became concerned for her safety when the suspect stalked her at school and on excursions and knew her whereabouts,' Balram said. 'He then threatened her with exposing her nudes and demanded money.' Man, 18, threatened to expose teen's explicit images for money Pictures: Supplied. In South African law, sexually explicit photographs, videos and communications, including those sent between minors under the age of 18, may be classified as child pornography, and the taker of the image, the recipient of the image, and anyone who shares the content may be charged and found guilty of crimes. Unfortunately, the teenage girl has shared personal details with the man, who used the information to track down her residential address and the work locations of her parents. The situation escalated to threats of kidnapping and murder. ALSO READ: Court orders 'obsessed' stalker to stay away from former lover Balram said Rusa is in possession of several pornographic videos made by the suspect in his home, as well as images and videos of the perpetrator pleasuring himself, and several texts of death threats sent to the minor. Reaction officers have obtained facial images of the suspect, which have been forwarded to the police. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) warned of the safety risks of meeting with online predators. Risks linked to online predators 'The internet is a great space and resource for children and teenagers, giving them access to a wealth of information and interaction owing to a vast array of platforms, including social media, email and text messaging,' the department said in April. 'Unfortunately, with this vast access lies the safety risk of meeting with online predators. Online predators are adults who often, in a sexually motivated way, approach children and teenagers online to exploit their innocence and inexperience.' Such behaviour exposes children to the risks of trafficking and child sexual exploitation. NOW READ: WATCH: Woman badly beaten by alleged stalker ex after arriving at work

Keep your children safe during winter school holidays
Keep your children safe during winter school holidays

The Citizen

time3 days ago

  • The Citizen

Keep your children safe during winter school holidays

School holidays are a time for children to take a break from their daily routines and spend quality time with family and friends. Adolescents also start exploring their independence and freedom. As thousands of South African children prepare to go on a winter school break from June 27 to July 22, parents and guardians are urged to prioritise their children's safety. Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk warns that holiday periods often see an increase in crimes involving children, particularly when they are left alone. 'Parents must make sure that an adult is present at all times or children are left under trustworthy supervision,' he said. Van Dyk also expressed some concerns, which can make children easy targets for robbers. 'Children walk with their cellphones and electronic equipment exposed in public, which enhances the possibility of being robbed. 'They are also tricked by criminals asking for assistance with their cellphones', only for their phones to be stolen. 'Social media platforms also pose a threat from strangers whereby they are befriended and asked to meet at a place and are abducted or raped,' said Van Dyk. To reduce these incidents, he highlighted crime prevention operations and patrols that are being executed daily in all of the Tshwane policing areas. 'There are ongoing awareness campaigns executed on a weekly basis at schools where police interact with the children on various topics such as drugs, gang-related topics, personal safety tips, bullying and social media awareness and safety measures.' He said CPFs play an integrated part within the communities with patrols and information gathering to keep children safe during the holidays. Van Dyk advised parents to always know where their children are and where they are going at all times. 'Make sure who their friends are and which social media platforms they make use of. Any uncertainty, they can visit their closest SAPS station to assist or report it by contacting 0800 10111 or download the SAPS app and share information there,' he said. The Department of Basic Education advised parents to prioritise their children's safety by adhering to the following guidelines: – Children must avoid talking to strangers, especially when you're not around. – Teach your children to always tell you if they have been approached by a stranger, and never keep secrets. – If your child needs a lift, tell them only to get lifts with friends, and to get out when they feel uncomfortable. – If your child gets lost, they should ask for help from a police officer, another grown-up with children or someone working at a nearby shop. – Have your children learn and know their address and telephone number by heart. – Try to keep your children within your sight or another adult whom you trust. – When out and about visiting places, always arrange a meeting point for you and your child, in case either of you gets separated and lost. – Make sure you all travel together or have seats close together on a bus or taxi. – Always accompany your child to public toilets. – Stick to busy, well-lit roads, and avoid shortcuts through alleyways. – If your child thinks someone is following them, they should cross the road or go to a place with lots of people around, like a bus stop or shop. – Encourage your child to speak up if they are being bullied or feel they might be in danger. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

Gwarube reveals plans to tackle Eastern Cape infrastructure crisis
Gwarube reveals plans to tackle Eastern Cape infrastructure crisis

IOL News

time3 days ago

  • Politics
  • IOL News

Gwarube reveals plans to tackle Eastern Cape infrastructure crisis

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says her department was taking measures to address weaknesses identified that caused infrastructure crisis in the Eastern Cape. Image: Supplied BASIC Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the mismanagement was not the only factor responsible for the overall infrastructure crisis in Eastern Cape schools. She cited persistent backlogs inherited from the pre-1994 era, ongoing budget constraints and competing service delivery priorities, contractor underperformance and project implementation delays, adverse weather conditions affecting construction timelines, and disruptions by local business forums and community protests at school sites. She disclosed this when responding to MK Party MP Nompumelelo Gasa, who noted with concern that the Cape's schools remained the worst in the country regarding billions of rand allocated to schools. Gasa asked Gwarube whether, in an effort to uncover whether corruption or incompetence was to blame, her department will commission an independent forensic audit of all infrastructure grants and Equitable Share spending there. Gwarube dismissed calls for an independent forensic audit, saying her department was taking measures to address weaknesses that caused an infrastructure crisis in the province. 'There are currently no plans by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to commission an independent forensic audit of the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) or Equitable Share spending in the Eastern Cape for the period since 1 January 2019. 'However, the DBE maintains infrastructure planning and performance information through the Infrastructure Reporting Model and the Education Facilities Management System (EFMS),' she said. Gwarube said the systems contained annual allocations and expenditure performance per infrastructure funding stream, a record of contractors awarded infrastructure projects, and estimated and actual completion rates, including, where applicable, reasons for delays and underperformance. 'This information is available to relevant oversight bodies upon request and is used routinely by the DBE to monitor progress and flag systemic issues.' She said her department was rolling out a sector-wide 10-point infrastructure strategy designed to accelerate infrastructure delivery and strengthen accountability. "As part of efforts to improve service delivery and financial management at a provincial level, the Minister of Basic Education recently requested all MECs and heads of provincial Education Departments to submit urgent written feedback on service delivery failures and personnel irregularities across provinces.' She also said she has launched a coordinated response to restore financial discipline and protect core education services. The national department wants all provinces to submit credible financial recovery plans ahead of the Council of Education Ministers meeting scheduled for July 21.

Minister Gwarube dismisses calls for audit on Eastern Cape education spending
Minister Gwarube dismisses calls for audit on Eastern Cape education spending

IOL News

time5 days ago

  • Politics
  • IOL News

Minister Gwarube dismisses calls for audit on Eastern Cape education spending

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says her department was taking measures to address weaknesses identified that caused infrastructure crisis in the Eastern Cape. Image: Supplied Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has dismissed calls for an independent forensic audit into the Eastern Cape Education Department's expenditure of infrastructure funds. Instead, Gwarube said her department was taking measures to address weaknesses identified that caused infrastructure crisis in the province. 'There are currently no plans by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to commission an independent forensic audit of the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) or Equitable Share spending in the Eastern Cape for the period since 1 January 2019. 'However, the DBE maintains infrastructure planning and performance information through the Infrastructure Reporting Model and the Education Facilities Management System (EFMS),' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Gwarube said the systems contained annual allocations and expenditure performance per infrastructure funding stream, a record of contractors awarded infrastructure projects, and estimated and actual completion rates, including, where applicable, reasons for delays and underperformance. 'This information is available to relevant oversight bodies upon request and is used routinely by the DBE to monitor progress and flag systemic issues.' Gwarube was responding to MK Party MP Nompumelelo Gasa, who noted with concern that the Cape's schools remained the worst in the country regarding billions of rand allocated to schools. Gasa asked the minister whether, in an effort to uncover whether corruption or incompetence was to blame, her department will commission an independent forensic audit of all infrastructure grants and Equitable Share spending there. She said the forensic audit should determine the total amount that was budgeted against the actual amount spent on infrastructure delivery and uncover the names of the contractors that were awarded the projects and consequences for their failures. Gasa also enquired whether Gwarube found that the crisis of school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape was fuelled by mismanagement. According to Gwarube, her department acknowledged that several factors contributed to the infrastructure challenges experienced in the Eastern Cape. She cited persistent backlogs inherited from the pre-1994 era, ongoing budget constraints and competing service delivery priorities, contractor underperformance and project implementation delays, adverse weather conditions affecting construction timelines, and disruptions by local business forums and community protests at school sites. 'While these factors have negatively affected delivery in some areas, the DBE does not attribute the overall infrastructure crisis in the Eastern Cape solely to mismanagement. 'Nonetheless, systemic weaknesses have been identified and the DBE is taking steps to address these with the Eastern Cape Department of Education.' She said her department was rolling out a sector-wide 10-point infrastructure strategy designed to accelerate infrastructure delivery and strengthen accountability. "As part of efforts to improve service delivery and financial management at a provincial level, the Minister of Basic Education recently requested all MECs and heads of provincial Education Departments to submit urgent written feedback on service delivery failures and personnel irregularities across provinces.' She also said she has launched a coordinated response to restore financial discipline and protect core education services. The national department wants all provinces to submit credible financial recovery plans ahead of the Council of Education Ministers meeting scheduled for July 21. 'These plans are to be assessed for alignment with national priorities and fiscal sustainability. The Minister has also requested the DBE's director-general to liaise with National Treasury and affected provinces to design appropriate support mechanisms.' Gwarube said the DBE remained committed to providing technical oversight, supporting institutional capacity development and ensuring that public funds were utilised effectively to realise the educational rights of all learners across all provinces, including the Eastern Cape.

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