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IOL News
4 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
KZN Education Department fails to comply with court order for ECD centre payments
Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in KwaZulu-Natal are struggling with late payments from the provincial department of education. Image: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA) The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Education has failed to comply and honour the court order to pay three Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres their outstanding balance. This was after the Legal Resources Centre, which represents the three ECD centres, obtained a court order from the KZN High Court in Pietermaritzburg compelling the department to pay the three. The court order was obtained on May 26 and the department was given until June 5 to pay the money. The total amount owed to the three centres was R163,859. The LRC said that although the three centres received some payments between May 30 and July 02, 2025, these have been sporadic and incomplete, leaving them unable to plan and budget properly. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ One of the centres, Sakhokwethu, is still owed a significant amount dating back to the 2023/2024 financial year. This ongoing neglect has forced its principal, Bonisiwe Mthembu, to incur personal debt to keep the centre operational, leading her into a financial crisis as she grapples with escalating interest payments. The consequences of this failure are severe for children, staff and the wider community. "Sakhokwethu is in a state of despair and disrepair. Paying my staff is impossible when I have to choose between wages and feeding the children. It feels like the department has abandoned us,' said Mthembu. The centres said the payments received so far have been made without clear information about which months or financial years they cover. This lack of transparency has made it impossible for the centres to meet their obligations to children, staff and families. Nonkonzo Madlala, chairperson of Phumelela Crèche, expressed the impact of these failures in a plea shared by many centres across the province: 'All we are asking is simple: that the Department pays all ECD centres what is due to them, on time, every month. When they delay, all of our children go hungry, our staff go unpaid, and we are forced to choose between keeping the lights on and buying food. These are impossible decisions for ECD centres that care for the most vulnerable. As ECD centres, we are pleading, not for favours, but for the bare minimum the service level agreements promise us, so that we can give our children the safety, nutrition, and learning they deserve.' The provincial education spokesperson, Muzi Mahlambi, did not respond to the media query regarding the outstanding payments. In the court documents, the centres argued that the lack of funding is a constitutional issue that infringes on children's rights and the failure to pay has an impact on children as it deprives them of sufficient nutrition, and prejudices their access to safe facilities, as well as limiting the availability of ECD practitioners. LRC said it has been following up repeatedly via email and telephone to secure compliance while considering a contempt of court application. The organisation said these efforts were mostly met with silence, apart from a vague response citing internal accounting processes and offering no clear payment schedule. The organisation added that the few payments made were inadequate, unexplained, and provided no certainty for the centres. 'This lack of transparency has deepened the financial crisis at the centres, which depend on timely monthly subsidies to deliver essential services to young children. As the department remained evasive, conditions at the centres worsened, compounding the hardship faced by children, staff and their families,' said LRC. The LRC believes that the department is not engaging in good faith. It said this behaviour signals a troubling pattern of evasion and disregard for the urgent needs of young children who rely on these essential services. The group added that although the applicants are not pursuing a contempt application at this stage, it is monitoring compliance closely. 'We believe the department's refusal to explain or resolve this issue forces costly, unnecessary litigation, diverting resources that should be supporting children. As the LRC, this is a route we want to avoid at all costs,' the organisation said, adding that the department's consistent failure to deliver subsidies in a timely and transparent manner has left many ECD centres on the brink of collapse.
IOL News
03-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
A new era in housing: The Department of Human Settlements' essential shift from housing builder to settlement enabler
South Africa's post-apartheid housing landscape has long been shaped by spatial exclusion, urban fragmentation, and economic inequality. Image: Tracey Adams / IOL The challenge for the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) is to move from being a housing builder to a settlement enabler, ensuring that delivery is not just about numbers, but about equity, dignity and inclusion. This is according to Dr Uduak Johnson and Dr Thandile Ncwana, who are Academic Programme Leaders at the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) School of Public Administration, in response to an enquiry by "Independent Media Property". They described the first year of South Africa's 7th Administration, which came into office about a year ago following the 29 May 2024 elections, as being marked by cautious optimism and necessary institutional realignment. They said while progress has been uneven, key reforms such as governance strengthening, spatial policy recalibration and targeted investments in vulnerable groups signal a shift toward developmental governance. 'What remains now is for the 7th Administration's plans to be translated into tangible, community-centred outcomes.' Delivering the 2025 Budget Vote on Wednesday, DHS Minister Thembi Simelane said over the next five years, the Department's delivery efforts will be driven by a focused agenda that seeks to consolidate past investments, respond to urgent needs, and deepen our impact. 'Therefore, as we begin to lay the foundation of the recently approved 2024-2029 MTDP, we have committed to deliver the following during the 2025/2026 financial year: 41 944 housing units, 32 250 fully serviced sites with water, sewer, electricity, and roads, 4 282 units through the First Home Finance programme, originally known as FLISP (Financially Linked Individual Subsidy Programme), 3 000 social housing units and eradicate 8 047 mud houses,' Simelane said. Dr Johnson and Dr Ncwana said that despite the intent of policies such as Breaking New Ground (BNG) and the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements, delivery has often occurred at the urban periphery, reinforcing marginalisation. They said by the time the 7th Administration took office last year, the backlog had grown to over 2.3 million housing units, with 2 700+ informal settlements nationwide and slow progress in land release and infrastructure upgrades. The academics said, despite severe budget constraints and inflationary pressures, the DHS has made incremental progress with highlights that include the Special Housing Needs Programme (launched March 2025), targeting vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, elderly persons, and survivors of domestic violence. Another one is the Housing Assistance Programme for Military Veterans, fast-tracked, with 4 560 beneficiaries confirmed. They said it also brought Institutional Stabilisation as boards were appointed to five of six DHS entities, thereby improving governance oversight. With regards to policy advancements, the academic programme leaders mentioned the approval of a new Human Settlements White Paper in December last year, outlining integrated and sustainable development frameworks. They said with regards to Social Housing Expansion, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) approved 1 898 units in FY2024/25, while the SHIP 15A pipeline continues to grow. Additionally, they said digitalisation efforts have begun to improve beneficiary tracking and reduce fraudulent housing allocations, although their implementation is still partial. The MANCOSA academics said persistent and emerging challenges for the department included systemic constraints. 'Informal Settlement Growth: Upgrading initiatives remain underfunded and inadequately implemented. Although the Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUP) exists, the number of informal settlements continues to grow beyond 2 700.' They said there were also governance failures with reports from the Auditor-General (AGSA) and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) pointing to irregular expenditure, ghost beneficiaries, and project mismanagement, especially at provincial and municipal levels. The other challenge was the spatial disconnect as settlements remained far from transport, economic nodes, and services, continuing the apartheid legacy. The academic leaders said the budgetary pressures with reduced allocations to the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG) and the impact of inflation have constrained delivery. 'Provinces such as Gauteng and the Western Cape underspent and had portions of their HSDG reallocated to better-performing provinces like the Eastern Cape (99% expenditure).' To meet its long-term mandate, Johnson and Ncwana said the DHS must pivot from mass delivery alone to an enabling developmental role that prioritises spatial justice through the release of well-located urban land, upgrading over displacement in informal settlements, inclusive and participatory urban planning, including People's Housing Processes (PHP), blended finance models, combining public subsidies, private investment, and concessional loans as well as performance-based budgeting, where provinces are rewarded for efficient delivery. Independent Media Property
IOL News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
June 16 is no party, it's a funeral for apartheid, and we're still mourning
Youth participation must be understood as the process through which young people learn to give, to contribute meaningfully to society. Image: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA) 'We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now… Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilisations are written the pathetic words: 'Too late'.' — Martin Luther King Jr, 1967 THE freedom we enjoy today is largely attributed to the supreme sacrifices of countless gallant freedom fighters. Frederick Douglass once said: 'Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.' This is the perfect tribute to those who stood up on June 16, 1976. Their resistance was not just an act of defiance — it was a declaration of humanity in the face of oppression. Only those who have resisted tyranny can truly understand the depth of such sacrifice. Youth participation must be understood as the process through which young people learn to give, to contribute meaningfully to society. A former juvenile delinquent once said: 'Nobody ever treated me like I had anything to give. Just to take. So that's all I ever did.' That simple realisation changed his life. When youth feel they have something to offer, they begin to matter — not only to others, but to themselves. Our country finds itself in bewildering times. The political landscape is shifting rapidly, yet no clear path forward emerges. Our 'Ship of State' seems caught in a hurricane, without compass or rudder. If we are to survive, we must repair our moral compass and steer toward calmer waters. 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 The time has come to open a new chapter in our national journey — one led by a new generation armed with innovative ideas and active energy. Young people do not want mere change in administration — they seek transformation in values and standards. They must be encouraged to speak, to vote, and to shape the future. In his book *Growing Up Absurd*, Paul Goodman argued that when youth are denied meaningful roles in society, they become alienated. Many young people today feel excluded from real political engagement. Elected officials often treat them as pawns, ignoring them until election season and then pandering with shallow promises. No wonder many believe the system is broken beyond repair. Young people ask: 'Will my vote actually matter?' or 'I don't have time to keep up with everything — how can I participate?' These are valid concerns. Until politics becomes relevant to their daily lives, their absence from the political arena will persist. Renaming June 16 as 'Youth Day' risks trivialising the bloodshed and sacrifice of 1976. Calling it a celebration undermines the pain endured by those who stood up against apartheid. Similarly, Sharpeville Day should not be diluted into a generic Human Rights Day. These days are markers of struggle, not party themes. We must not forget that freedom comes at a price — the price of responsible action. If we cannot find better ways to honour and utilise freedom than to vegetate before screens, then what is its value? We have a rich past to draw from in facing present challenges. There was no apathy in 1976. Scott Warren, in Generation Citizen, argues that politicians fail to inspire youth because they reduce them to voting blocs rather than engaging them as partners in nation-building. If we continue to ignore young people outside of election cycles, we risk raising a generation that sees no place for itself in public life. It is time to stop talking 'at' youth and start empowering them to lead. They need to be challenged, not coddled. They must be reminded that this is a conquering world, not one meant for passive spectators. Youth, by nature, is adventurous. Let us equip them not only with knowledge, but with purpose. Democracy thrives when citizens are engaged. Yet, many elected leaders prioritise re-election over reform. What kind of country will we leave behind if we do not prepare the next generation to lead? Let us ask ourselves: Are we preparing youth to clean up the mess we've made — or are we leaving them with a broken inheritance? An old adage says: 'If each sweeps before his own door, the village will be clean.' Today, we risk forgetting this truth. The soul of a nation is shaped by the conscience of its people. Let us guide our youth not merely with words, but with deeds. As the poem *Beowulf* reminds us: 'Between two things must a sharp-shield warrior know the difference: words and works.' The time for empty speeches is over. The situation is dire. It is time for action. This is the challenge that faces our youth today — and it is also the challenge that faces every adult, every leader, and every citizen. Stephen Grellet put it best: 'I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now.' How shall our freedom endure? By planting the ideals of liberty in the hearts of the young. There is no other way. A New York senator once tried to quiet his child by giving her a torn map to reassemble. To his surprise, she completed it quickly. 'How?' he asked. She replied: 'On the back was a picture of a boy. I figured if I could build the boy right, the world would fall into place.' Let us build our youth right, and then the world will follow. * Dr Vusi Shongwe works in the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal and writes in his personal capacity. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media.
IOL News
03-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Food inflation hits hard: Household budgets feel the pinch as food prices jump
The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Image: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Tracking prices of 44 food staples across 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in several cities, the Index reveals that the average Household Food Basket now costs R5,466.59, marking a R46.29 (0.9%) jump from April 2025 and a R136.29 (2.6%) rise from May 2024. Food inflation continues to be a critical concern as the Index indicates that of the 44 foods monitored, a staggering 33 items saw a price increase in May. Price escalations were particularly pronounced among essential staples, with onions surging by 23%, butternut rising by 9%, and carrots increasing by 8%. In contrast, only 11 foods registered a decrease in price, with rice witnessing a reduction of 5% and tomatoes dropping by 9%. The trend of rising food prices varies across different regions of South Africa. The Johannesburg food basket increased by R51.00 (0.9%) month-on-month, reaching R5,610.46. Meanwhile, Cape Town experienced the sharpest increase, with prices soaring by R112.62 (2.1%) from April to May. In stark contrast, the Springbok region saw a small decline of R28.90 (-0.5%) month-on-month, although its food prices remain 5.4% higher year-on-year. Statistics South Africa reveals that headline inflation for April 2025 stood at 2.8%, while food inflation reached a higher 3.3%. For households relying on the National Minimum Wage, which stands at R4,836.72 monthly, the financial struggle is becoming increasingly palpable. With the average cost for a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four estimated at R3,843.40, workers face a dire situation where essentials consume a majority of their income. The findings from this Month's Index further elucidate this concern. With transport and electricity alone taking up 56.3% of a worker's wage, families are left with only R2,113.75 to allocate for all remaining expenses, including food. Even allocating this amount entirely to food would provide a mere R528.44 per person per month—falling short of the food poverty line of R796. The implications for children are particularly troubling. The average cost to provide a child with a basic nutritious diet is now R979.66, while the Child Support Grant of R560 is significantly below the food poverty line, rendering it inadequate for meeting basic nutritional needs. The escalating costs emphasize the urgent need for policy responses to address food insecurity and support the most vulnerable sectors of society. Additionally, while the overall cost of household domestic and personal hygiene products saw a slight decrease of R3.58 (-0.3%) in May, the year-on-year increase underscores that these essential products continue to strain household budgets, further intensifying the financial burden on families. Cape Argus
IOL News
03-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Household budgets feel the pinch as food prices jump in May 2025
The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Image: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers The May 2025 Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity's Household Affordability Index reports a notable increase in the average cost of basic food items. Tracking prices of 44 food staples across 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in several cities, the Index reveals that the average Household Food Basket now costs R5,466.59, marking a R46.29 (0.9%) jump from April 2025 and a R136.29 (2.6%) rise from May 2024. Food inflation continues to be a critical concern as the Index indicates that of the 44 foods monitored, a staggering 33 items saw a price increase in May. Price escalations were particularly pronounced among essential staples, with onions surging by 23%, butternut rising by 9%, and carrots increasing by 8%. In contrast, only 11 foods registered a decrease in price, with rice witnessing a reduction of 5% and tomatoes dropping by 9%. The trend of rising food prices varies across different regions of South Africa. The Johannesburg food basket increased by R51.00 (0.9%) month-on-month, reaching R5,610.46. Meanwhile, Cape Town experienced the sharpest increase, with prices soaring by R112.62 (2.1%) from April to May. In stark contrast, the Springbok region saw a small decline of R28.90 (-0.5%) month-on-month, although its food prices remain 5.4% higher year-on-year. Statistics South Africa reveals that headline inflation for April 2025 stood at 2.8%, while food inflation reached a higher 3.3%. For households relying on the National Minimum Wage, which stands at R4,836.72 monthly, the financial struggle is becoming increasingly palpable. With the average cost for a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four estimated at R3,843.40, workers face a dire situation where essentials consume a majority of their income. 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 ✕ The findings from this Month's Index further elucidate this concern. With transport and electricity alone taking up 56.3% of a worker's wage, families are left with only R2,113.75 to allocate for all remaining expenses, including food. Even allocating this amount entirely to food would provide a mere R528.44 per person per month—falling short of the food poverty line of R796. The implications for children are particularly troubling. The average cost to provide a child with a basic nutritious diet is now R979.66, while the Child Support Grant of R560 is significantly below the food poverty line, rendering it inadequate for meeting basic nutritional needs. The escalating costs emphasize the urgent need for policy responses to address food insecurity and support the most vulnerable sectors of society. Additionally, while the overall cost of household domestic and personal hygiene products saw a slight decrease of R3.58 (-0.3%) in May, the year-on-year increase underscores that these essential products continue to strain household budgets, further intensifying the financial burden on families. IOL
