What is unfolding is not a crisis of numbers or administration. It is a deliberate political failure, engineered and maintained by those in power. Working-class South African children are being structurally locked out of public education while the state normalises exclusion through bureaucracy, press briefings, and hollow assurances.

We locate responsibility without hesitation. The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, the Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, and the Department of Basic Education preside over this collapse. They do so knowingly. Year after year, they reproduce the same outcomes because exclusion has become policy practice, not an error.

The roots of this injustice are structural and violent: township and rural schools deliberately left underdeveloped, classrooms overcrowded beyond learning capacity, budgets that starve black education while protecting privilege, and admissions systems designed to appear administratively neutral while actively marginalising the children of workers and the poor. This is how inequality is institutionalised. This is how dispossession continues under democratic language.

We say this without apology: the ANC–DA governance arrangement is central to this disaster. It is a political pact that manages inequality instead of dismantling it, that preserves elite comfort while black children are turned away at school gates. This arrangement has collapsed the social mandate of the state and replaced it with crisis management and blame-shifting.

The situation in Gauteng, particularly in Ekurhuleni, is nothing short of criminal. For learners to be expected to return to schools without electricity is an open declaration that black children’s futures are disposable. It is an insult to dignity, a sabotage of learning, and a betrayal of constitutional obligations.

We therefore demand immediate, decisive action. EMPD and all relevant authorities must restore electricity to all public schools without delay. More than that, the state must guarantee placement for South African children as a first principle, not a negotiable outcome.

We reject this crisis, we reject the political choices that produced it, and we condemn, in the harshest terms, a system that sacrifices South African children while those in power remain insulated from consequence.

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Johannesburg is set to become a hub of global dialogue, hosting key discussions that will shape the future of economies and communities worldwide.

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A government commission of inquiry has since revealed that the tragedy was not just the result of one man’s actions, but of a much deeper problem—Johannesburg’s chronic housing crisis. According to the findings, extreme poverty and a severe shortage of affordable homes left vulnerable families living in unsafe, overcrowded buildings with little to no fire protection.

The commission inspected more than 100 inner-city properties and found that nearly 80% had serious fire-safety risks, while most lacked running water, electricity, or waste removal. Makeshift partitions of wood and fabric, blocked fire escapes, and no firefighting equipment turned these buildings into deadly traps.

The popular belief that “hijacked buildings” were the main issue was also challenged. In reality, only about 5% of the properties showed signs of rent being illegally collected by non-owners. The bigger problem, investigators concluded, was the absence of basic services and the city’s failure to prioritize housing for the poor.

One man is currently on trial for allegedly starting the blaze, but survivors and activists insist the deeper issue lies in decades of government neglect. They argue that unless Johannesburg invests in affordable housing and provides proper services like electricity, water, and sanitation, more lives will be at risk.

The commission recommended urgent reforms: a plan to expand social housing, faster processes for relocation, and less red tape for developers willing to build safe, low-cost homes. But survivors—still living in temporary shelters two years later—say promises mean little without real action.

For many families who lost loved ones in the Usindiso fire, the wait for dignity and safety continues.

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Initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the Government of National Unity, the dialogue seeks to reflect on 30 years of democracy, identify the country’s most pressing challenges, and chart a path toward a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Despite planning hurdles—including reported divisions within the task team and concerns over the R700 million price tag—the Convention Organising Committee has confirmed that all is ready for the event.

President Ramaphosa will deliver the opening address today at the convention, which will conclude tomorrow.

First Convention Of The National Dialogue Day 2

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Initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the Government of National Unity, the dialogue seeks to reflect on 30 years of democracy, identify the country’s most pressing challenges, and chart a path toward a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Despite planning hurdles—including reported divisions within the task team and concerns over the R700 million price tag—the Convention Organising Committee has confirmed that all is ready for the event.

President Ramaphosa will deliver the opening address today at the convention, which will conclude tomorrow.

South Africa starts a soul-searching ‘national dialogue’ about poverty, inequality and other issues

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In remembrance of the former President and his passion to promote education, the Free State Provincial Government will commemorate the day with the official opening of the Qibing Community Library in Wepener on Friday, 18 July 2025.

Under the theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality”, Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae will hand over the library to the community and engage in a series of initiatives to give back to the community.

The state-of-the-art library built at the tune of R23 million will fulfil the information needs of the community. The library is envisaged to assist in uplifting the community through the provision of educational and skills development resources as well as access to information.

The well-furnished library boasts children and adult lending sections, as well as a computer room equipped with 18 computers, providing free internet access, e-mail, and word processing facilities.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This powerful quote from former President Mandela calls on stakeholders to participate in efforts to improve the education of children and help the communities which are harshly affected by the realities of poverty.

Premier, MECs, government officials as well as local government representatives will engage on acts of kindness at the ECD centres and identified schools in Wepener, Van Stadensrus and Dewetsdorp to donate food, blankets, educational material and other essentials to make a difference in the areas.

In addition, the provincial departments and various parastatals will provide integrated mobile services to the community of Wepener. These include Home Affairs, SASSA, the Independent Electoral Commission, etc.

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