News Bulletin of 12 May 2025, 4pm

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has been chosen to lead a global project on sustainability, working with 54 universities from countries in the Global South.
UJ will help create a toolkit for universities to teach sustainability in ways that make sense for their local needs.
This project builds on a successful pilot in 2023, led by Professor Kathija Yassim, which showed the importance of having an African approach to sustainability.
Over the next five years, Professor Yassim will guide the project to help students become future leaders in sustainability.
This project is part of UJ’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, which also supports its high global ranking.

Since its launch in August last year, a student and stakeholder help desk introduced by Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mimmy Gondwe, has handled over 20,000 queries—resolving 81% of them.
The desk was set up to give students a direct platform to raise issues, especially around NSFAS delays, results, and admin backlogs in the post-school education sector.
Gondwe says it’s already making a real difference. Currently run by two women in her office, plans are under way to digitise the service to handle rising demand.

The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) has achieved a clean audit and met 100% of its annual performance targets for the second year running.
CEO Yershen Pillay says it’s about more than numbers — it’s about purpose, accountability, and empowering communities.
Over 30,000 rural youth have already benefited from CHIETA’s SMART Skills Centres, and a new centre in Gauteng aims to expand that impact.
With its new Fusion 2030 strategy, CHIETA is paving the way for a more inclusive, digital, and green economy — proving that skills, not slogans, shape South Africa’s future.