Over 900,000 Matrics Set to Sit for 2025 Exams
More than 900,000 candidates nationwide are set to begin the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, reports SABC News. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has said that she is confident that the NSC will be administered without incident. The Minister said that she is confident that the exams will be conducted flawlessly. This year's cohort includes 766,000 full-time and 137,000 part-time candidates, the highest full-time registration since 1996. Security measures have been strengthened to ensure the safety of the question papers. Mpumalanga Education MEC Lindi Masina added that strict measures, including scanners at exam centres, would prevent learners from bringing in cellphones or other prohibited devices.
Joburg Urges Informal Traders to Apply for Permits
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The City of Johannesburg has urged informal traders across the metro to apply for permits to operate in designated areas, reports EWN. The initiative is part of the city's new programme to better regulate the sector amid growing concerns that informal trading has contributed to the filthy state of the CBD. Mayor Dada Morero said that the registration process aims to create an orderly, safe, and inclusive trading environment, emphasizing that trading spaces will be limited based on policy and availability. The city has been removing unauthorized traders from undesignated areas , a move that has sparked significant backlash. The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa is suing the city over the removal of traders. Morero said that the city is not against informal trading, but rather against those who fail to follow municipal by-laws. According to figures released by the City of Johannesburg, over 25,000 informal traders are operating across the municipality.
Taxi Body CODETA Condemns Fatal Shooting of CATA Owner
The Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (CODETA) has condemned and distanced itself from a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a taxi owner from its rival association, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA), on the R300 highway, reports EWN. The victim was traveling with his security detail when gunmen opened fire, leaving both bodyguards injured. CODETA spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana expressed shock over the killing, calling it unacceptable and urging the public not to link the incident to existing route disputes in the Somerset West or Khayelitsha areas. He said that operations on those routes remain peaceful and that the association is committed to maintaining stability in the taxi industry.
