Latest news with #UniversityofZululand
IOL News
5 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
India's Viksat Bharat 2047: A Blueprint for Development and Job Creation
Dr Sheetal Bhoola is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Zululand, and the director at StellarMaths (Sunningdale). The quest for equality, socio-economic development has been a global phenomenon, and a vision that many developing nations aspire to. The journey to achieving overall development and improving the lives of all peoples residing in a country is a daunting and huge task. Kudos to India for implementing appropriate measures and strategically planning to meet these targets. Viksat Bharat 2047 is a motion based on the government's vision to move India into being recognised and fully developed by 2047. The Consul General of India, Durban, Dr. Thelma john Davids recently hosted an event that specifically aimed to publicise and inform South Africans of the progression of this strategy. Dr. Nageswaran, chief Economic Advisor Ministry of Finance, India was the guest of honour and informed the guests of the progression of the strategy. It was reported that over the last decade, India has created approximately 17 million jobs, and they have been focusing on labour that is skill intensive. In the previous decade, it was recorded that 4.5 million jobs were created. The numbers have more than tripled and Indian citizens can enjoy a better way of life because they have a livelihood. India's population has escalated to 1.4 billion people and amidst this they still manage to sustain an unemployment rate of under 6% in recent years. In comparison, South Africa has doubled their number of employed persons since 1994, and it has been recorded till date that approximately 16 million people are employed. Yet the unemployment rate in relevance to our population size is still almost 40% and it has been stagnating at that rate for a number of years. An analysis can further investigate as to how accurate these developmental statistics are, but despite their capacity to be marginally or partially inaccurate, they give a clear benchmark of how progressive countries are in meeting their developmental goals. The National Development Plan of 2030 is five years ahead of us, and we need to investigate avenues that will speed up the process of minimising unemployment to create a far more equal society which is less poverty-stricken than previously. Employment in the agricultural and construction sector has been punted and the Minister clearly indicated that we must sell these career trajectories to our youth, because this is where the need and viability lies for employment and economic development in the near future. The pace at which India has more than tripled their employment rates is admirable, and I do question what the methodology has been to achieve this. The minister at the event highlighted that many of the employment opportunities have been determined by needs and the need in India has been construction. In the last 10 years, the country has built 88 airports in and around the country. To be precise, this is one airport completed in 40 days. These governmental projects have continued to contribute towards long-term employment for individuals in the arena of construction. In comparison, since 1994, King Shaka International Airport was the only airport that was built in 2010 and other airports such as Oliver Tambo International Airport were refurbished. However, India's success today is also based on their economic workforce that has been integrated into the global economy through technological innovation and advancement. India has become a leading global player in the advancement of technological products and innovations. This required Indians to become highly skilled and educated within the realms of sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which they have achieved. Bengaluru, the South of India has been renowned to be similar to America's Silicon Valley in terms of technological innovation and the centralisation of these hubs that contribute effectively to employment. The demand has now shifted, and India aligns their employment typology demands with global trends and current requirements. The world is grappling with the use of artificial intelligence which threatens many jobs, portfolios, and tasks in the corporate workspace across sectors. India's stance has been to promote and encourage their youth to focus on labour intensive skill development in the arenas of construction and agriculture. There has been plenty of banter about employment opportunities that may become redundant with the increased utilisation of artificial intelligence and related technological programs and platforms. These platforms have been enhancing many portfolios and tasks in the corporate sector but ultimately lack human judgement, emotional intelligence, contextual understanding and relevance as well as defined and specific applicability to a context, place, time-frame and need. The question beckons as to what South Africans can learn from India in various ways. The onset of the G20 initiative is an avenue whereby countries can engage in interdependence and to foster global economic development and cooperation. The primary aim is to achieve development through policy development and valued modification as well as coordination of strategies, systems, and the implication processes of development strategies. The key players of the G20 Collaborative team include The African Union and European Union and 19 independent countries including South Africa namely; Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. One of the objects of the G20 platforms is measures to minimise the various forms of corruption in the above-mentioned countries. The development of strategy planning, frameworks and policies are merely not enough, but we need to investigate the various ways of applying these policies successfully. The challenge has always been within South Africa's capacity to implement a program of change or a developmental program successfully. An impactful example is the continued challenges that we experience with The National Schools Nutrition Program, which has been continually criticised for tender rigging processes and poor service delivery to learners. Yet this programme is fundamental to long-term effective development of society and addresses two of our main challenges, namely educational development and hunger and poverty. The onus lies on South Africans to ensure that every programme runs to its best capacity, and we need to look to our vision of 2030 and beyond. *The opinions expressed in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. DAILY NEWS
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
The Impact of Economic Challenges on South Africa's Grade 12 Learners and Future Employment
Dr Sheetal Bhoola is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Zululand, and the director at StellarMaths (Sunningdale). Image: Supplied We have approached the second schooling term and South Africa's grade 12 learners are now preparing for the final grade 12 exams. The pressures today for most learners completing school are daunting considering the many challenges that lie ahead of a new school leaver in South Africa. The recent export tariff of 30% imposed by Trump on all South African exports in The United States has detrimental impacts for our economy. Wine, Macadamia nuts and our fresh produce contribute substantially to the global and national economy and an increased tariff margin means ultimately that Americans will look to purchase alternative imported products. Any additional price increase deemed by South African business markets would be an addition to the existing 30% which will come into effect from August 1, 2025. The Summer Citrus Program from South Africa will most likely have a devastating impact on our economy. The Program has ensured South Africa exports citrus during the summer months in The Northern Hemisphere because their production levels are low. This program has also boosted the quantities and varieties of citrus products exported to the United States of America and Ceres Fruit Growers have had a central role in this program. 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 ✕ Ultimately, every South African is impacted as the ripple effect is bound to develop. A slower growing economy will be the cause of greater socio-economic circumstances and pressures for the average South African. Central to the anticipated economic turbulence is the aftereffects of a stagnating or shrinking economy which ultimately means fewer job opportunities for South Africans. There will be less expenditure on infrastructure and development in South Africa will be minimal in the long-term. We can expect sales of South African products to decrease in the US, and this revenue that has been accessible to South Africa will no longer be. The question beckoning is how do we now compensate for this revenue and how do we manage the expected job losses that are parallel to a shrinking economy. Grade 12 learners enter a world of employment in 2026 or aspire to attain university or Technikon entry and complete a qualification. The formal economy is a sector where graduates have an opportunity to display their attributes that have been derived from their educational experiences. These attributes are not just limited to skills, but also attitudes, and worldviews which are relevant to global and national socio-economic functionalities and dysfunctionalities of the world. The increased number of school leavers that now have a grade 12 and meet the entry requirements for a formal tertiary education outnumber the number of learners universities and FET colleges and Technikons can accommodate. South Africa is in need of skills directly linked to the area of sciences, technology, engineering and mathematical focusses which can aid and facilitate the onset of technological innovation and development which is locally born. At present we are paying high tariffs for the importation of technological devices, and all other related products. The dichotomy is overwhelming, because there is a dire need for younger generations in South Africa to be educated and spear ahead in development, but their university opportunities are minimal and there is a lack of internship opportunities available. Technologically Innovative plants are also key to creating employment and would aid to keep up with the new fourth and fifth technological revolution and be able to skill out youth in this domain. These developmental structures are yet to develop because of the lack of skills and hubs that exist in South Africa. South Africans often report that the impacts of a brain drain are detrimental, but with a shrinking economy this can only exacerbate. The emigration of skilled professionals' impact public services and social development. Economically, there is a shrinking tax base, and less expertise within our educational and healthcare facilities. Earlier generations could have invested their knowledge, expertise and skills into newly graduated grade 12 learners, which could enhance the continuity of teaching and learning in the scarce arenas of STEM subjects. The loss of expertise in South Africa has long term impacts which hinder development holistically. The challenges still remain. In a shrinking economy, how does one find employment and how does one attain a skill that is ardently required to sustain a livelihood in South Africa. In a stagnating economy, professional South Africans are on the lookout for greener pastures globally rather than remaining in an economy that cannot afford good salaries and benefits or the technological support these specialists require to grow in their professions. The government needs to address a means to generate a healthy growing economy and enable young school leavers to aspire to access educational and employment opportunities locally, skills and development can thrive and harvest for future generations and towards an economy that thrives. *The opinions expressed in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. DAILY NEWS
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Why it would be difficult for Mkhwanazi to arrest Mchunu himself
If Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was so sure and adamant that police minister Senzo Mchunu had committed those crimes, why couldn't he just arrest the man? That is one of the burning questions many South Africans have been asking themselves since Mkhwanazi dropped the bombshells at a press conference in Durban at the weekend. The short answer is, it's not that simple, he has to now leave it in other officers hands. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of political influence in police operations, using his powers to shield businesspeople linked to the criminal underworld, while also shutting down a police investigating unit which was investigating the same people closely. Mkhwanazi said cellphone downloads from the phone of Vusumuzi 'Cat' Matlala allegedly showed a direct link between Madlala, Mchunu, his alleged associate Brown Mogotsi and Lt Gen Shadrack. Matlala was arrested in connection with the attempted murder of his ex-lover, Tebogo Thobejane, who survived an alleged hit on the N1 highway. The University of Zululand's professor of criminal justice, Professor Jean Steyn, said inorder for an arrest to be executed on the minister, a court issued arrest warrant would be required to legitimize the process. He said although anyone could open a case - as Mkhwanazi did against Mchunu, there was a reasonable expectation that he could not effect the arrest himself. 'Lt Gen Mkhwanazi has a right to open case against anyone, including the minister. This is problematic in that there should be trust, integrity and there should be a meaningful relationship between the minister, the national commissioner and the provincial commissioner,' he said. Steyn said he believed it was not probable that Mkhwanazi would arrest the minister himself as he has to be seen to be not interfering in the process. He said affidavits, statements and other evidence would be required for the issuance of an arrest warrant in court. Steyn said should the minister be arrested without the insistence of a court order issued arrest warrant, it would open up the process to more questions of motive, intent and substantiation. "Every step, every person involved, every process, will be scrutinised in depth by all and sundry , and that is where it gets tricky and that is where criticism comes in place.' Steyn said if the crimes alleged by Mkhwanazi were proven in court of law, they were serious. He hailed Mkhwanazi as brave - and said South Africans should be concerned by the developments. He has called for a judicial inquiry to be instituted and concluded, in no more than 30 days, to investigate the allegations and to get to the bottom of the matter. He said all implicated parties should be suspended from their duties pending the probe. You can watch the 30-minute video interview with Professor Steyn below. IOL
The Citizen
07-07-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Zululand schoolgirls empowered through coding
A group of high school girls from Qhakaza High School in Dlangezwa were recently selected to participate in an informative workshop on IT fundamentals. There were 47 girls from the Grade 9 classes that attended the 'Code like a girl' programme hosted by Vodacom at the University of Zululand from 30 June to 2 July. 'We are very impressed by the confidence and skills our learners gained from the workshop,' said Qhakaza High School teachers Mr Khayelihle Ndwandwe (computer applications technology) and Mr Sakhile Ndlovu (mathematics). 'The project showcases their creativity and problem-solving abilities. It has clearly inspired them to think outside the box and push the boundaries of coding. 'The skills and knowledge they have acquired are impressive, they demonstrated a great understanding of coding concepts. We are very grateful for the opportunity Vodacom has given us. It was a fruitful workshop indeed,' they said. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
02-07-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Electrical fault sparks KwaDlangezwa water outage
Less than a minute Mbuso Kunene Less than a minute The City of uMhlathuze has issued a water interruption notice affecting supply to the KwaDlangezwa area. The water outage is reportedly owing to an electrical fault at the municipality's Vulindlela pump station. 'Our electricians are working hard to resolve the issue. Restoration time will be communicated in due course,' reads the statement. Affected areas include Vulindlela, University of Zululand, and wards 10, 11, 30 and 34. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
