News Bulletin of 5 December 2025, 8am

iSchoolAfrica marked the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on 3 December with a special event in Sandton, focusing on accessibility, inclusive education, and digital empowerment.
The organisation, founded in 2009, aims to bridge the technology gap between well-resourced private schools and under-resourced public and special needs schools.
iSchoolAfrica provides Apple technology, including iPads with built-in accessibility features, to marginalised schools, along with teacher and therapist training.
The programme has seen a transformative impact, enabling non-verbal learners to communicate and deaf learners to collaborate with peers.
iSchoolAfrica's director, Michelle Lissoos, says technology changes lives when used meaningfully, addressing technology access disparities.

The MEG Foundation is collecting teddy bears for children facing life-threatening illnesses or living with impairment in disadvantaged communities in KwaZulu-Natal.
The foundation has partnered with Wheels on Waves, a disability awareness initiative, to collect new or pre-loved teddy bears at their drop-off point on Amanzimtoti Main Beach.
The goal is to collect 1,000 teddies for distribution to hospitals, disability centres, and disadvantaged communities.
The teddies will bring comfort and smiles to children spending the festive season in hospital.
The community is invited to donate clean, gently used teddy bears to support the cause.

Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, says gold mining continues to drive South Africa’s economy and provide much-needed jobs to citizens.
The minister opened the Qala Shallows Gold Mine in Roodepoort, Gauteng, yesterday.
Mantashe says the launch of the mine demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to building an enabling environment for responsible mining, encouraging investment, and strengthening socio-economic development in the mining sector:
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