Student Debt Blocks Registration, Certificates
As the 2025 academic year begins, thousands of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) beneficiaries are grappling with crippling student debt, preventing many from registering for their studies or receiving their qualification certificates, reports IOL. Over 720,000 students are affected, with more than 120,000 unable to register due to outstanding fees, while graduates face barriers to employment as universities withhold certificates over unpaid debts. Former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande revealed that in 2024, R5.8 billion in unpaid fees left over 600,000 students without certificates, a crisis exacerbated by rising unemployment.
Putco Bus Arson Suspects Face Court
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Police have arrested two additional suspects in connection with the torching of over 50 Putco buses in Mpumalanga last month, bringing the total number of arrests to four, reports SABC News. The suspects were arrested in Siyabuswa and are set to appear at the Mdutjane Magistrate's Court, facing charges of malicious property damage. The incident involved a group of armed individuals, wearing balaclavas and black clothing, who attacked several employees, injuring a security guard with a gunshot and assaulting others. The suspects, driving a Quantum, a minibus, and a sedan, set fire to buses at various depots while holding employees at gunpoint. Mpumalanga police continue to investigate the suspects believed to be linked to the torching of 51 Putco buses.
Mabopane Residents Demand Action on Sewage Spillages
Residents in Mabopane, north of Pretoria, are urging the Tshwane Municipality to urgently address persistent sewage spillages, which they claim are rarely attended to and only temporarily resolved, reports SABC News. The spillages have severely impacted their health and infrastructure, with one resident sharing their struggle with tuberculosis (TB) and fears of relapse due to the unsanitary conditions. The sewage has damaged roads, making them impassable, and caused toilets to overflow, forcing residents to rely on neighbours' facilities.
