Download JOURNAL NEWS - 19TH EDITION - 05DEC2025
Stay informed in seconds. Stream today's top stories and exclusive, in-depth journalism directly to your phone, tablet, or desktop.
Your news, on your schedule
Engage with immersive stories
Access your reading list even without a signal
Download Journal News Latest Edition Now and carry your essential news source in your pocket!
Lerato Mutlanyane
The Xhariep District in the Free State province is currently having difficulties retaining HIV-positive patients on treatment. This information was shared by Xhariep District Director Dr Ntshieleng Caka during the World AIDS Day celebrations held at Lepetla Secondary School in Petrusburg, under the theme “Renewed Efforts and Sustainable Commitments to End HIV.”
Caka said that, although the Xhariep has made improvements towards achieving the 95-95-95 target which means that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% have access to antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of those on treatment achieved viral suppression.
She said the district's current rates are 94-86-94 which indicates that only 86% of HIV-positive individuals in the province are retained on treatment.
Despite this, Xhariep ranks second in the country for its performance against the 95-95-95 targets.
To address the retention issue, the Department of Health has launched the "Close the Gap" campaign, aimed at identifying 1.1 million people who are HIV-positive but not receiving treatment. This figure has been broken down by province, district, and even facility, with everyone working diligently to close their respective portions of the gap.
According to the Human Sciences Research Council, the Free State had the highest HIV rate in the country at 15.6% in 2022, an increase from 17% in 2017, which translates to approximately 450,000 people living with HIV in the province.
Professor Khangela Zuma, the principal investigator of the study, highlighted that HIV prevalence in the province was consistently higher among females compared to males across all age categories above 15 years. He expressed concern over the stable prevalence of 3.9% among children aged 0 to 14 years, as well as an increase in rates among youth aged 15 to 20 in 2022 compared to 2017. Notably, prevalence more than doubled among those aged 15 to 19 during this period.
In an interview with to Journal News, Civil Society Chairperson Simphiwe Moloena emphasized that the day was an opportunity to remember the achievements made in the HIV response and to encourage those affected by the virus. “Many have lost their lives due to AIDS and tuberculosis, and the government has provided antiretrovirals for free to save countless lives. However, unfunded programs aimed at ending HIV need urgent attention,” Moloena said.
He noted that civil society’s interventions, including social mobilization and community outreach, have significantly contributed to behavioral change, especially in combating stigma against those who test positive. “Despite this progress, stigma and discrimination persist within communities, particularly among those unaware of their status,” Moloena added.
He highlighted that the stigma surrounding HIV hampers community health, as men often hesitate to access health services and get tested. Unemployment and food insecurity are also significant challenges that further complicate the response to HIV.
“Therefore, I call upon the government to invest more domestic resources into HIV programs and to create employment opportunities without prioritizing specific age groups,” Mokoena added.
The US government has halted immigration applications for citizens from 19 nations including Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti, an official memorandum said Tuesday, deepening the nation's sweeping crackdown on migration.
Authorities paused green card and citizenship processing, according to the memo, for people from countries already subject to travel restrictions announced in June by President Donald Trump.
Those 19 nations also include Venezuela, Sudan and Somalia.
Senior US officials have signalled in recent days they would starkly tighten restrictions on immigration, a move fuelled by the shooting of two National Guard soldiers last week.
The main suspect in the shooting, which killed one, is an Afghan national.
The man, who on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to murder charges, entered the United States during mass evacuations as foreign forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
"USCIS plays an instrumental role in preventing terrorists from seeking safe haven in the United States and ensuring that USCIS' screening and vetting and adjudications prioritize the safety of the American people and uphold all US laws," the memorandum said, referring to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The memorandum said the US had recently seen "what a lack of screening, vetting, and prioritising expedient adjudications can do to the American people," citing the suspected shooter in last week's attack as an example.
Trump, who campaigned for the White House on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants, said on November 26, following the shooting that he planned to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover."
US Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem also urged on Monday an expansion of the list of countries covered by the June travel restrictions.
"I just met with the President. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies," she said on X, without naming which countries she believed should be included.
The travel restrictions currently also apply to Burundi, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan.
Also on Tuesday, US media reported federal authorities planned in coming days to launch a major immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that would focus on Somali immigrants, sparking pushback from local leaders who said state police would not cooperate.
"Our values and our commitments to the Somali community, to every community of immigrants and people in our city is rock solid and will be unwavering," said Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey.
*This article was first published by IOL News
The Presidency has announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address at the Free State Provincial Men's Indaba tomorrow, December 4, at Limo Green Park, Bloemfontein, as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign.
The Indaba, a flagship event aimed at mobilising men and boys as active partners in tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), will convene over 4,500 participants, including representatives from government, political parties, faith-based organisations, the sports fraternity, civil society, and young men from across the province.
"The event is designed to foster robust dialogue, promote positive masculinities, and strengthen multi-sectoral partnerships to eradicate GBVF," Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to the President, said.
Magwenya added that it will begin at 9am at the Limo Green Park, Bloemfontein in the Free State.
He emphasised the significance of the Indaba’s theme: Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls working together to end GBVF: "It calls for a collective, society-wide response rooted in unity and shared responsibility."
The programme will provide a platform to challenge harmful gender norms, advocate for economic justice for women, and promote safe environments in communities and workplaces.
The President's participation is expected to galvanise support and reinforce the national commitment outlined in the National Strategic Plan on GBVF.
*This article was first published by IOL News
Thousands of Grade R practitioners are working in classrooms without the minimum NQF Level 6 qualification, according to a departmental audit.
The Department of Basic Education has revealed that 7,294 unqualified Grade R practitioners are currently employed in public schools across all nine provinces in South Africa, and that only 2,121 of them are eligible for qualification upgrades.
These practitioners do not possess the minimum National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 6 qualification required to teach at this level.
The figures were presented to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Tuesday during a briefing on the status of regulations to the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act as they relate to Grade R admissions.
The briefing also included updates on Sections 4 and 5 of the Children’s Amendment Bill of 2025.
In August, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, gazetted the first two sets of regulations under the BELA Act, 2024, for public comment.
Chief Director for the department of Basic Education, Enoch Rabotapi provided an update on the upgrading of qualifications for Grade R practitioners, emphasising that the BELA Act formally incorporates Grade R into basic education.
This means Grade R teachers must now hold qualifications equivalent to those of other educators.
“This process is meant to ensure that those already in the system but lacking the entry-level qualifications are supported to achieve them,” Rabotapi said.
He explained that the department first consulted with labour unions through the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), leading to the adoption of Collective Agreement 2 of 2025.
The agreement outlines measures for upgrading the qualifications of practitioners currently employed in schools.
He said the department has partnered with UNISA to facilitate the upgrading programme. UNISA was chosen for its distance-learning model, which allows practitioners to work while studying, and for its affordability.
Rabotapi said the ETDP SETA has also committed R66 million for the upgrading process during the current financial year.
Provincial education departments have been instructed to include the upgrading of Grade R practitioners in their annual performance plans.
Only then can ETDP SETA channel provincial allocations towards the further study of eligible practitioners.
Rabotapi said all eligible practitioners must apply to UNISA for the Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase, as the university has discontinued the Grade R diploma.
The diploma, previously intended for upgrading purposes, has now lapsed following guidance from the departments of Basic Education and Higher Education.
“Those who do not meet the entry requirements for the BEd Foundation Phase will be redirected into a one-year Higher Certificate in Education. Upon completion, they may enrol in the BEd programme, provided they have a matric qualification,” he said.
He said because UNISA’s standard application period had already closed, the department negotiated a special window for Grade R practitioners.
Applications were initially accepted from October 1 to 10, and the deadline has now been extended to December 19, 2025.
Rabotapi said that many practitioners are currently employed on stipends because they are not fully qualified educators.
Those who have already obtained a Grade R diploma meet the minimum requirement and may be absorbed into vacant posts as they arise.
He said the department has also worked with provinces to categorise practitioners according to eligibility.
“Exclusions include individuals over 60, who would be unable to render sufficient service after qualifying, and those without a matric, who cannot enrol at a university.”
He said following verification, 2,121 practitioners have been confirmed as eligible for upgrades.
According to him, UNISA has established a dedicated application process, and provinces have been tasked with ensuring all eligible practitioners submit applications.
“We are concerned about the slow application rate,” Rabotapi said.
“We welcome UNISA’s extension and are contacting practitioners directly to encourage them to apply. We are receiving a positive response as we continue monitoring the process.”
*This article was first published by IOL News ‘
South Africans are carrying a debt load of about R2.6 trillion, which works out to roughly R43 000 for every man, woman, and child.
Yet, for the first time in a while, households are falling behind slightly less.
This is according to the Eighty20 Credit Stress Report, compiled with XDS, for the third quarter of 2025.
Overdue balances dropped by R3 billion in the quarter, bringing the total overdue amount to R212 billion.
The number of loans in arrears fell by almost 90 000, pulling the share of overdue loans down to 33.1%, the lowest point since early 2023.
At the same time, one million more loans were paid on time, continuing a seven-quarter streak of improvement.
That means just over 8% of all debt is now past due, down from 8.3% in the previous quarter. Most of the improvement came from people catching up on personal loans and vehicle finance instalments.
The Mass Credit Market: still under strain, but stabilising
The employed lower-middle-income group – mostly women with store accounts and sometimes credit cards – now numbers 8.6 million people.
They took out more than 2.1 million new loans in the quarter, most of them retail and personal loans.
This group owes R113 billion in total, about R13 000 per credit-active person.
Overdue balances climbed 6% from last year, and just over half of the group is still in default. However, this is an improvement from last year, with defaults down 7% in relative terms.
Middle Class Workers: steady, but feeling interest-rate pressure
The 4.1 million middle-income earners with families, mortgages and frequent shopping routines held 12.9 million loans this quarter.
They took up 1.2 million new loans, with personal loans making up nearly three-quarters of the total.
Their total debt has risen to R541 billion, around R130 000 per person.
Overdue balances rose 5.5% year-on-year, but fewer people in the segment are defaulting. The share of those with at least one loan in default fell to 41.5%.
Heavy Hitters: spending big and borrowing big
South Africa’s wealthiest 5% – the Heavy Hitters – continue to grow their borrowing faster than other groups.
There are now 2.2 million credit-active individuals in this segment, up 4% from last year.
They took out 693 000 loans this quarter, including 91 000 vehicle finance agreements.
That means this small group accounted for nearly two-thirds of all new car and asset finance loans.
Their home-loan balances climbed to R1 trillion, which is more than seven times the total debt load of the Middle Class Workers.
Vehicle finance hits five-year high
South Africans are buying cars again – or at least financing them more aggressively. New vehicle asset finance loans rose to 139 000 this quarter, the highest in five years.
Loan terms are also getting longer. Nearly 16% of new car loans now stretch beyond seven-and-a-half years, compared to 12% a year ago.
Longer terms usually mean lower monthly payments, suggesting lenders are helping consumers manage stretched budgets.
Defaults improve even as debt grows
The total number of credit-active consumers grew almost 4% over the year.
While overdue balances climbed 9%, fewer people have fallen three months or more behind on payments.
The share of consumers with at least one serious default dropped to 40.4%, continuing an improvement seen since late 2023.
Default levels are lowest among Heavy Hitters, Humble Elders and Comfortable Retirees. The Mass Market remains most vulnerable, with 51% in default.
Debt consumes nearly a third of income
On average, South Africans spent 28% of take-home pay on loan repayments in quarter three. For every R10 earned, almost R3 went straight to banks.
Heavy Hitters spent the most – nearly half of their income.
Middle Class Workers committed just over a third.
The Mass Market spent 19%, while Comfortable Retirees used 22% of their income on servicing debt, up from 20% a year ago.
The net result is that consumer credit markets expanded, with more active accounts and larger balances across most categories. Vehicle finance was particularly strong, reaching the highest levels in three years.
*This article was first published by IOL News ‘
