SekgoseseVoice

25/01/2025

SV Online: Domestic Employees Workshop

Today SekgoseseVoice is attending with other Media houses to provide coverage.

The Department of Employment and Labour with Compensation Fund in Limpopo, hosts a "Domestic Employee Workshop" at Bolivia Lodge, Polokwane.

SekgoseseVoice engaged with Mr Ntata Sekgota, Provincial Convener for SAFTU, voiced and emphasized that the Depaprtment with Compensation Fund "...need to professionalise domestic workers." SAFTU urged the Department and relevant stakeholders to ensure domestic employees' benefit as they ought, financially and from other supporting schemes.
Deputy Director for Employment Services in Pretoria Mr Vusi Maluleke, stressed that one of the heartbreaking experiences they come across is "...knowing some of the challenges domestic workers encounter is not being paid their overtime work." True such need to stop and employers need to take their domestic workers serious by registering them and making sure they pay what is due to any domestic worker.

The Domestic Employment Workshop and its panel of speakers had to address questions from the audience, majority being domestic workers, such as the issue of working hours, overtime payments, union registrations, employee registrations, UIF payouts, reporting of injuries, keeping medical records, paymemt of medical services, and many more.

It is evident not only the province's domestic workers still have a long way to go to reach professionalism, which also lies manly with employers; but the country as a whole ought to instil the spirit of goodwill through bylaws and whatever legistalation that enforce employees to view domestic workers and a professional sector.

Images: SV Gallery.
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24/01/2025

SV Online: koketso dies after eating a poisonous plant.

2-year-old Koketso died after consuming a poisonous plant in Zebediela outside Lebowakgomo. His family voiced they never expected that such a devastating event could happen. Koketso, and other friend died shortly after hospitalization.

Family representative Paulina Komane, family representative expressed about Koketso as a humble boy who showed and gave them respect.

Image: Internet

20/01/2025

SV Online: External Media Advisory

18/01/2025

SV Online: Jobs safe, for now.

Department of cCooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has decided to extend contracts of community work programme (CWP) workerd aged 55 and older until the end of March.

The decision comes after the Cogta's decision to terminate the contracts of at least 60,000 workers on January 31, 2025, citing budget constraints from National Treasury for the fiscal ywar 2024/2025.

Image: Cogta/Google

17/01/2025

SV Online: 78 dead and 246 rescued

The Stilfontein mine rescue conclude with 78 dead, 246 illegally miners rescued and it is purpoted ringleaders are in custody. Community dwellers stood on the sidelines during the tiresome rescue operations for trapped miners at the abandoned Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, on Tuesday, January, the 14th, 2025. It is not evident as to how many illegal miners remain underground and are unable to resurface, the number is estimated at least to be 1,000. However, the rescue mission to retrieve illegal miners in Stilfontein gold mine concluded when the police confirmed that no persons/miners remained inside the misused Buffelsfontein shaft mine.

Image: The Witness

17/01/2025

SV Online: NSFAS lack of funding

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) received 936 000 applications for the 2025 academic year, with about 668 000 receiving provisional funding pending placement at higher learning institutions.

Tebogo Letsie, Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training Chairperson, confirmed the numbers in a briefing on Thursday (16.01.2025)
Tebogo expressed that of the provisionally funded applications submitted between 15 September and 15 December 2024, 659 000 were SASSA beneficiaries.
Tebogo as well emphasised the need for NSFAS to “...do its due diligence” in processing applications not to repeat last 2024 issues where other students (the missing middle) were defunded mid-year.
While NSFAS’s strategic student fund model is not yet fully executed, loan and bursary schemes are in place for the upcoming academic year.
“A loan scheme is meant for the missing middle students and Nsfas is informing us that in the 2025 academic year, they are ready to assist those students,” Tebogo voiced.

Image: NSFAS

15/01/2025

SV Online: Thus far, 27 corpses and 56 survivors

The rescue teams continue to retrieve illegal miners trapped from the abandoned Buffelsfontein gold mine near Stilfontein, thus far with 27 corpses recovered, and in the tine of writing with 56 survivors brought up alive. Survivors point to economic difficulties, looking down on government's lack of action, while government officials and/or politicians yesterday (14.01.2025) defended the slow action, inciting community outcry.

Image: Internet

14/01/2025

SV Online: COGTA to terminate employment

Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) is asserted to terminate the temporary employment of people aged 55 and older, approximately 30,000 of those temporary employees allegedly do not qualify for old age pension.

COGTA recently mentioned that due to budget cuts it will be terminating the contracts of beneficiaries from the Community Work Programme (CWP) that are aged 55 and above.

The CWP is a government programme that offer temporary employment approximately to 250,000 working age persons. Now, it is unfortunate many face the demon of unemployment with no pension fund.

Image: Daily Dispatch/Internet

13/01/2025

SV Online: Matric Class of 2024

Image: DoBE

12/01/2025

SV Online: Key Dates to Remember

Monday 13 January 2025: The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, will announce the 2024 matric results at a national level. Tuesday 14 January 2025: From 6:00 AM, candidates can access their results online via the official website of the Department of Basic Education. In addition, results will be available at all provincial education departments, which will issue them to candidates at their respective schools or examination centres.

Where to Find Your Results:

Online: Starting at 6:00 AM on 14 January 2025, results will be available on the Department of Basic Education’s website: www.education.gov.za. Your School or

Examination Centre: If you prefer a physical copy, your school or examination centre will have your statement of results ready. Make sure to check with them on the morning of the release date.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Technical Issues:
Although the Department is working hard to ensure smooth access, some students may experience delays or technical issues when trying to view their results online. It’s important to be patient and try again if you face difficulties.

Result Queries:
If you have any concerns or queries regarding your results, you have *30 days from the release date to submit them for investigation. Be sure to reach out promptly to avoid missing the window for queries.

Correcting Errors:
Candidates must check that their names and identity numbers are correctly reflected on their statements of results. If there are any discrepancies, you must report them to the Department before 21 February 2025 for correction.

Source: Department of Basic Education
https://www.studentroom.co.za/matric-results-release-date-for-2024-what-you-need-to-know/

South African National Department of Basic Education

09/01/2025

SV Online: Legendary kwaito star Doc Shebeleza dies at the age of 51.

Image: Metro FM

08/01/2025

SV Online: Matric Results Court Ruling

The High Court in Gauteng has struck off the roll the matter presented by applicant Information Regulator (IR) to interdict the Department of Education (DoBE) not to publish on media the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results.

The High Court matter by IR was struck-off due to lack of "...urgency" and did not place "...learners at the central of the matter."

08/01/2025

SV Online: To or Not to publish matric results

It is become a court battle between the privacy rights and that of public interest over to publish or not to publish the 2024 matric results. The Deprtment of Basic Education (DoBE) and the Information Regulator (IR) are in what seems to be a conflict over the publication of 2024's National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam results in newspapers.
On November 2024, IR denied the DoBE from publishing the NSC exam results in the media and related platforms.

IR went on to issue an enforcement notice to DoBE for what they termed non-compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). IR discovered that DoBE violated the terms and conditions for the lawful processing of what is identified as personal information by not receiving permission for the publication of the NSC matric results, be it from the learners or from their parents, and for those who sat for the 2023 NSC examinations.

Image: CN/Internet

07/01/2025

SA Online: Khumalo dies at 51

South African talented singer Winnie Khumalo
has passed away at the age of 51. The Soweto-born singer died earlier today (07.01.2025) at her home after a short illness. She was known for a lengthy and entertaining musical career, since the 1980s. Khumalo was a backing singer to the late Brenda Fassie, before ventured into composing and releasing her own material. South Africa has lost another phenomenal artist.

Image: News24

07/01/2025

SV Online: Legendary Kwaito star

Doc Shebeleza confirmed that he is feeling much better after undergoing surgery in December 2024. The Ebumnandini hit maker, real name Victor Bogopane, spent the festive season at home with his family and friends after being discharged from hospital before Christmas.
Doc voiced that he would be undergoing a second operation in two weeks.
“I'm feeling much better and I'm well. Looking forward to the operation, everyone around me is happy with my progress,” said the Kwaito star and added, “...my fans should continue to pray for me, that's all I can say.”

In December 2024, the 51-year-old legendary kwaito star's family issued a confirmation statement that Doc had been hospitalised and asked South Africans to pray for him.

Image: MSN

06/01/2025

SV Online: Outbreak in China

A viral illness in China, identified as Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is causing serious concern because of its similarities with the COVID-19 outbreak. It is purpoted that reports show the illness is spreading rapidly placing critical pressure on China's healthcare system.

Image: Internet/YouTube

06/01/2025

SV Online: Drones at the border

Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed that its use of drones along the Beitbridge Border between South Africa and Zimbabwe has started to show signs of progress.
BMA Assistant Commissioner Nkhuliseni Luvhengo confirmed that they have been using drones since the start of the festive season to prevent migrants from entering the South Adrica illegally. “We are beginning to see the importance or the benefits of deploying the drones and the push token as well as the body cams that we have deployed this festive season. So, we have intercepted it yesterday only. We haven’t encountered the number of the people that we intercepted. But yesterday we intercepted 75 people. So that includes the number of people using these vulnerable areas or these passages to pass through going to Zimbabwe and also come to South Africa to either buy some products or something they are going to sell that other side of Zimbabwe.”

There are travellers that enter South Africa at the border post in Musina, Limpopo, who voiced serious concerns about long queues and disappointing delays to have their documents processed.

Tinashe Musodza, travelling from Zimbabwe, told SekgoseseVoice, “It’s hectic, it’s taking two hours, three hours from Harare then you meet long queues. It’s a lot of fatigue and the queue is very long.”

Image: Wikipedia

01/01/2025

SV Online: NSFAS 2025 Applications

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) began accepting applications for 2025 funding on 21 September 2024, with the deadline highlighted for 15 December 2024.
However, by the deadline date, NSFAS revealed that they received 890 599 bursary applications and 17 369 loan applications.

Many of these applications are missing documents which NSFAS Spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, voiced is a very important part of NSFAS online application. Mnisi earmarked that the most common document students are not submitting is the declaration form.

"These are critical documents that will enable NSFAS to make funding decisions and conclude the applications before the end of this year. "We have made funding decisions for almost 600 000 students so far," voiced Mnisi.

SASSA beneficiaries receive immediate funding decisions. Of the 600 000 students, around 120 000 students need to submit documents to complete their applications.

Image: NSFAS (website)