ECHOmaritzburg

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Unions blame vacant postsNOKULUNGA NGOBESE>>nokulungan@myecho.co.za

TEACHER unions have citedthe change of curriculumand unfilled educator

vacancies, as contributory factorstowards the decrease of the matricpass rate in KwaZulu Natal.

The province dropped by 7.7%from 77.4% last year to 69.7% thisyear.

Speaking to Echo, DeputyPresident of the National Teachers’Union (Natu) Allan Thompsonsaid that although they had expecteda decline due to curriculum

changes, this was a significantone.

“We are seriously disappointedas we had expected a decline butnot as significant as this one.

“Oftenwhen there is a curriculumshift, pupils become victims. Inthis province there has also been acomplete failure of administration,with the department failing to fillvacancies.

“In some cases, you find thatclasses are overcrowded becausethere are not enough staff. Wewant the department to advertisevacant positions and changetemporary staff to permanent so

that there can be stability.“It must reduce the number of

pupils in one class and increase thenumber of teachers.”

Deputy Secretary of the SouthAfrican Democratic Teachers Union(Sadtu) Bheki Shandu said:

“Firstly we would like to thankthose teachers who have gonetheextramilebyhavingextra-classesoutside their normal workinghours to assist our pupils. However,as a union, we are deeply concernedby the decline since for thepast five years, there has been asteady growth.

“The new curriculum changes

presented a number of challengesand added new topics, particularlyin mathematics, which added tothe challenge.

“The failure to fill critical postsremains a concern as only afew vacancies have been advertised.We also acknowledge the proposalby Basic Education MinisterAngie Motshekga to intervene,but she must not come with readymade decisions.

“We all need to work together tolook where we went wrong.”

President of the NationalProfessional Teachers Organisationof South Africa (Naptosa)

Anthony Pierce said the decreaseis a cause for concern, as the last timethis happened was about 10 yearsago. We need to conduct aninvestigation on the contributoryfactors of poor performances atcertain schools.

“Another major challenge isvacancies that have not been filled.MEC Peggy Nkonyeni needs tofind ways to ensure thatvacancies that remain unfilled arefilled. Teachers also need to beupskilled, especially in mathematicswhere there is an indication ofextremely poor performance,” heended.

Matric pupils (L­R) NosabeloMkhize, Snenhlanhla Msomi,Lindokuhle Radebe and CindyKinene­Simpson collecting theirresults at GHS.

Zama Shezi (L) and Siwaphiwe Sihlobo ofAlexandra High School.

Wandile Cwele (L) and Snenhlanhla Rade­be of Alexandra High School.

2014 matric pupilscelebrate results>> THIS week, the country wasabuzz as thousands of 2014 matricpupils rushed to see their results.

Pictured are (fromleft) Awande Dlamini,Mthoko Chonco andKhwezi Xulu of StCharles College.

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NEWS

28 January 2015

maritzburg

ECHO

CRISISAmbulance: 10 177Fire Brigade: 080 003 3911Traffic Mpimpa Hotline: 086 221 1011911 Control Centre, PMB: 033 391 1911Lifeline (24hrs): 033 394 4444Rape Crisis: 033 394 4444

MUNICIPALWater: 080 000 1868/033 392 2128Electricity: 033 392 5098/5096/5029Afterhours number: 033 392 5098Traffic lights: 033 392 2205Roads (drains, damage):

033 392 2047 or 033 392 2059

ESSENTIAL NUMBERSAids Help: 033 394 4444Aids Hotline (tollfree): 080 001 2322Gift of the Givers Careline:

033 342 2239/080 078 6786Alcoholics Anon: 086 143 5722 or 033 345 6795Famsa: 033 342 4945Childline: 080 005 5555Forest Fires: 033 330 8421Safe City report crime via SMS: 083 767 7233SPCA: 033 386 9267

EMERGENCY CHEMISTS:Scottsville: 033 386 1029Central: 033 342 1200/(a/h) 033 346 0550Northdale: 033 387 1681

CONTACT ECHOTELEPHONE033 355 1247EDITORnews@myecho.co.zaCLASSIFIEDS033 355 1343REPORTERnokulungan@myecho.co.zaPOST PO Box 362, PMB, 3200COMPLAINTS 033 346 2156

What are their New Year resolutions

PHOTO:WITNESS ARCHIVES“My focus this year is to make sure that Idouble all my efforts in all that I do,especially in making sure that MaritzburgUnited is on display in terms of marketing.Secondly, I would like to see the project thatI have started being completed in the Eastersthis year. I have startedplaying squash and mygoal is to play threetimes a week. Both mywife and I have tocontinue support­ing our son whois a cricketer.These are ourplans thisyear.”

Maritzburg United marketing andcommunications manager Brian Zuma:

PHOTO: WITNESS ARCHIVES“I’m not a person who sits down and jots new year resolutions. Ihave plans and things that I will be focusing on this year. I’mplanning to release an album and I’m hoping thatpeople will love it as they did with the previousalbum. I’m also plan­ning to open a record­ing studio in PMB justto help out young up andcoming artists in andaround the city.”

Award winning gospel singer Mdumiseni Nzimande(Dumi Mkokstad):

PHOTO: WITNESS ARCHIVE“This year the unit as a whole is hoping for

more awareness campaigns that will help theyouth in understanding the dangers of alcoholand other dangerous sub­stances they end up using.We want them not onlyto understand thedangers these drugs arecausing in their lives,but we want themto act posi­tively andstopusingthesedrugs.”

Family Violence, Child and SexualOffences Unit (FCS), Plessislaar MajorNtombifuthi Sibisi:

PHOTO: WITNESS ARCHIVES“All I’m praying for is longer days of life

in order for me to be able to continuehelping the people that are in need.The journey of helping peoplecontinues. Millions of people arehungry and I believe that it ismy duty to help them inanyway that I can.”

HOLIDAYS are over and it’s back to reality for employees both in the private and government sector while matriculantsare busy preparing for the real world. People have plans and New Year resolutions and Nompendulo Ngubane spoketo some prominent city people to find out what are their plans for 2015.

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Young achieverurges youth toseize opportunitiesNOKULUNGA NGOBESE>>nokulungan@myecho.co.za

A PIETERMARITZBURG woman,who was recently awarded a SirWilliam Schlich medal by the

University of Stellenbosch for heroutstanding performance, has urgedyoungwomennot tobeafraid toventure intomale dominated industries.

Nonkululeko Ntinga (25) from Grange,who was doing her BSc degree inForestry at the university, is the first SouthAfricanwomantobegivensuchanawardbythe university.

The award is given to those studentswhoachieve an aggregate of 70% and aboveconsistently.

She holds a similar award from theNelson Mandela Metropolitan University,after graduating cum laude in her threeyear national diploma in forestryin 2010.

SpeakingtoEcho,Ntingasaid thatgettingthis award is a validation that youngwomen in South Africa are tapping intomale dominated industries.

“I feel honoured especially sincethis award is from an Afrikaans dominateduniversity.

“It isproof thatyoungwomenare tappinginto careers that were previouslyunknown.

“Young women should know thatthere is more to life, and must notbe scared to venture into male dominatedindustriesbecausetheyfeeltheyarenotgoodenough.”

Ntinga said although her focus thisyear will be on the working world,having started her internship with Mondion Monday, she plans to do her PHD someday.

She paid tribute to her family fortheir complete support throughout herstudies.

PHOTO:SUPPLIEDNonkululeko Ntinga from Grange with her SirWilliam Schlich medal which she recentlyreceived from the University of Stellenbosch.

Fire guts Boxerstore’s newlyrenovated ATMCHELSEA PIETERSE

A FIRE at the Boxer store in Langalibalele Streetcompletely gutted a newly renovated ATM point andblackened the store’s entrance with soot.

Store managers believe the fire may have been theresult of an electrical fault, although this was notconfirmed by the fire department.

The fire is thought to have started at around 11pm,when the shop’s direct alarm alerted the MsunduziFire Department.

Fire department operations manager Essack Khansaid they arrived with two fire trucks and quicklyextinguished the spreading flames.

He said the fire department would be looking at

CCTV footage from the store to try to determine thecause of the fire.

Boxer store manager Darryl Croucamp said theATM had been renovated just over a month ago andhad brand­new computers and flat screens fitted.

“Luckily, nothing else was damaged,” he said.Another store manager, Chris Majola, said Boxer

had people working on fixing the lights and wires

already, but the repair of the ATM and the paintingof the entrance to the store would take some time.

“We apologise to customers for any inconveniencethey may suffer,” he said.

Majola said the ATM would not be open for a while.Majola said that while workers fixed the

damaged entrance of the store, business would go onas usual.

Boxer storemanager ChrisMajola standsin front of thegutted ATM andblackened wallscaused by a fireon Mondaynight.PHOTO: JONAT-HAN BURTON

2014 Matriculants warned against bogus institutionsNOMPENDULO NGUBANE AND NOKULUN-GA NGOBESE>>nompendulo.ngubane@myecho.co.za

KZN General Secretary for Congress of SouthAfrican Students (COSAS) Isaac Luthuli haswarned matriculants to be aware of bogusinstitutions.

Luthuli reiterated this after congratulatingall the matriculants who passed their examsthis year.

He did not isolate those who failed, butencouraged them to upgrade, supplement andbetter their results by registering at legitimateinstitutions.

“The number 080 0872 222 will helpyoungsters to be certain about the institutionsthey registerwith.Theyshouldour thewebsitebeforeattemptingtoregisterorlookforaninsti-tution to register with.

“The website has all the list ‘f’ institutionsand it states clearly if the institution isregistered or not,” said Luthuli.

more.Societyhasbeenstructuredinsuchawaywhere emphasis is placed on the release of thematric results.

“Hard work should begin at foundationlevel,andsometimesparentsexpectmorefromtheir children, forgetting how they were also

school is often the best indicator of how theschool will perform.

Suddenly during matric, there areunrealistic expectations of increasing marks.The hard work should be initiated fromprimary schools.”

Meanwhile, localpsychologist BevKillan has urgedparents to benon-blaming andnon-judgemental tothose children whodid not make it.

“At this stage,parents shouldacknowledge theresponsibility andlook for areaswherethey need to work

performing duringtheir school years.

“They set unreal-istic expectations. Achild who is a lowaverage is morelikely to achieve thesame. Those whoexcel, work consist-ently over manyyears. There areconcerns about thepass rate, howeverwhat people fail toput into considera-tion is that previousperformances of the

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Visually impaired matricsreceive recognition

JONATHAN ERASMUS

A MOUNTAIN Rise special-needsschoolsawthreeof theirmatriculants recognised by

the provincial government.All three - who are visually

impaired - proved they were equallyuptothetaskofscoringwellabovetheprovincial average in the 2014National Senior Certificate exams.

Arthur Blaxall School pupilsHalalisani Dlamini, ThembekaZungu, Mandisa Ncanana are nowconcentrating on tertiary educationand the opportunity to travel.

“I couldn’t believe itwhen I got thecall to attend today’s event. I have afeeling of success and am veryexcited,” said Zungu, who is almostcompletely blind.

Having passed her matric usingBraille, she thanked her teachersfor their support as she gets readyto start a social science degree atthe University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Ncanana and Dlamini, who aregreat friends, are expecting to studylaw at UKZN.

“My parents are so happy. Mygranny even cried when she heardthe news,” said Ncanana.

An avid spy novel reader, he saidhe hopes to be on the cutting edge onsolving business problems in thefuture.

Dlamini, who admitted travellingto school every day was achallenge, thanked his family forhelping him achieve.

He says he wants to study a lawdegree at UKZN.

PHOTO: JONATHAN ERASMUSMandisa Ncanana, Thembeka Zungu and Halalisani Dlamini from ArthurBlaxall School were recognised at the NSC 2014 Awards

Excelling - even in tough timesFORmanytopachievers,matricwasa triumph over tough times, as theyweremourning the loss of a belovedparent.

MaritzburgCollegepupil Lonwa-bo Lubanga received seven distinc-tionsandwillalsostudy actuarialscience at UCT.

Hesaidhediditforhisfather,whodied in 2013.

“If he was still alive I would tellhim that ‘I love you and one day Iwant to be a good man like you’. Ihope he is proud of me,” he said.

“There was a big competitionamong the pupils and that wasmotivating. I wanted to get greatresults to go toUCTand I amexcited

I reached my goals.”Lubangasaidhechoseactuarial

sciences because “I am good andpassionateaboutmathematicsandscience”.

His mother, Lulama, praisedhim for his commitment and saidshe knew he would excel in hisstudies.

“After his father’s death Ithought he would be deterred, buthe pulled through. He’s self-moti-vated. I’m proud of him,” she said.

Ryan Somai (18) of RaisethorpeHigh wants to take his passion forcars to the next level by studyingmechanical engineering and oneday work for a car manufacturer in

Germany. His favourite car is theLamborghini Aventador.

Somai,whoearnedsevenAs, losthis mother when he was in Grade 8and has striven to make her proudwith great results ever since.

PHOTO: SUPPLIEDLunawabo Lubanga

NEWS

48 January 2015

maritzburg

ECHOMATRIC RESULTS 2015NEWS

4

AMIL UMRAW

MASIHA Essop (17) from MaritzburgMuslim School for Girls (MMSG) wantedto thank her principal, Ebrahim Haffajee.

She wants to be a doctor or apharmacist and hopes to open her ownpractice some day. Masiha got seven Asin matric.

Also getting seven As was fellow pupilResne Maduray (17), who said she’s beena good student all her life and would liketo travel to Australia or New Zealand. Shesaid her motivation for doing well was herparents, as well as her own will. Shewants to study pharmacy or engineeringthis year.

Also from MMSG, Zakiya Reheman

(17) said she wants to be a psychologistso she can help people in the community.She was the dux at Islamia PrimarySchool in Grade 7 and has been a keenpupil ever since, getting seven As inmatric. She was very excited whenhearing that she was a top achiever at herschool.

“I’m really stunned and totallyspeechless,” she said.

Class­mate Moshina Ismail (18)wants to study law at the University ofKwaZulu­Natal.

“It feels amazing knowing I did so welland I really was not expecting it,” she said.Ismail likes everything about law and isespecially interested in human rights.Ismail also achieved seven As.

Henna Cassimjee (17) also fromMMSG, said she studied hard to make herill grandmother proud. She lives with heraunt and grandmother, and they havebeen her support base. She definitelywants to move overseas, living and work­ing in Dubai. Henna achieved seven As.

Serena Gobindlal (17) was the headgirl at MMSG last year, and she said it feelsgreat to be both the head girl and one ofthe top achievers.

She loved accounting from Grade 10and wants to study BComm accountingat UKZN this year.

With seven As to her name, Serenahopes to work for a big accounting firmsome day and continue to live inPietermaritzburg.

Muslim School for Girls’ top matrics tell of their dreams

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Questions that leave usmostly clueless

THE planet we find ourselveson is a wonder of the universe.

The abundance of life on soinsignificantarockaroundanotatallspectacular secondgenerationstar isamiracleinitsownright.Thefactthatthe life that exists on this planet isconscious, amazes me.

We are not only alive but we areconscious of this, and we askphilosophical questions such as whyarewe here andwhere arewe going.

My favorite among suchquestionsiswhy arewe asking them in the firstplace? I don't blame religious peoplefor having the idea of a soul, a senseofpurposeandthissenseofsuperiori-ty over all other life of which we find

ourselves with on this beautifulplanet.

We are seekers of knowledge andthe limits to the world in which welive. We have tried to influence theworld through alchemy and tried tounderstand where we stand in itthrough astronomy.We have even put ourselves at thecentre of the universe in trying tounderstand it.

I find myselfthinking whetherconsciousness ismerely a bundle ofmemories andinstincts.

The truth is thatthere is no truetextbook definitionof consciousnesseven though wehave an idea ofwhat constitutes aliving self-awarebeing.

What is your soul up to whenyou're asleep? What if we are reallyalone in this unthinkably vastuniverse? And what if we all die andit is left devoid?

Now, do we measure conscious-ness in terms of intelligence? Ah,another termthathasabiaseddefini-tion and so we cannot say that a ter-mite, whose numbers surpass us 20million to one, is not intelligent as it issophisticated, specialised it its ownway, which ensures its own survival.

So, what of souls? We have such

strong feelings on human life thatmany of us do not believe in death asthe terminator, if you will, or the endof existence of a human life.

So, we invent the soul and believethat as aperson dies, their energy, orspirit,doesn’t.But,let'ssaythereisanafterlife, a heaven and hell.

Whatofall theotherthingsthatarealive on our planet? What place do

they have in heaven?Grass, as domany plants, are said

to react to damageor injuries causedby things suchas grass cutters,muchlike I would if I were attacked by ashark. Plants compete for resourcessuch as sunlight and water.

One could assume that plants canfeel pain like all animals do and theytoohaveapronouncedwill to live.So,do they have souls? What's avegetarian to do?

Somehaveevensuggestedthattheideas in our heads are a form of alien

life. They do sometimes seem tohavea life of their own, don't they.

I am smiling (as opposed tolaughingout loud)at that thought,butit does beg the question - where doesinspirationcomefrom?FromGod?Isit just an accident as some biologistsbelieve life to be? The implications ofsuchanaccidentwouldeliminate anynotion of a purpose of life or even the

need for a God.Which brings

another shaky ques-tion of whether theidea of Godwehave isthe correct one.I do not think therewill everbeananswerto this one as it cannever be proven.We ask ourselvesthese questions notbecause we mean toanswer them.

Maybe one day, asin Douglas Adams' A

Hitchhiker's Guide To TheGalaxy,wemightbeabletoconstructa supercomputer that would helpus answer the question on thepurpose of “life, the universe andeverything”.But until then,wewillhaveto indulgeourselves in trying to answerthem, and what a journey it hasbeen so far.Who knowswhatwe'll findwhenourtelescopes finally detect a “hello”from deep space.

Stay hungry. Stay curious.

THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE ISNO TRUE TEXTBOOK DEFINITION

OF CONSCIOUSNESS EVENTHOUGH WE HAVE AN IDEA OFWHAT CONSTITUTES A LIVING

SELF­AWARE BEING

Sibusiso Biyela@astrosibs

LETTERS

148 January 2015

maritzburg

ECHO

Thank youfor yoursupportTHE Dlamini family wouldlike to extend their deepestgratitude to all whogave support during themost difficult time ofthe sudden death ofGabangaye PatrickDlamini.

Special thanks goes tothe Department ofEducation, theuMgungundlovu District,and the MEC whopersonally came to grievewith the family and theShelembe family forsticking with us through-out.

Toall colleagues, friendsand comrades of ourdeparted brother, we saythank you for all yourcomforting words anddeeds. We thank also thepupils and the communitymembers who came out inbig numbers to bid farewellto the fallen hero. God bewith all of you.

MUZI ZONDIImbali

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Parents ‘blessed’ withtheir New Year babies>> Twenty girls and

fourteen boys born inKwaZulu­Natal

ESTELLE SINKINS

PIETERMARITZBURG’S firstNewYear babywas born at fiveseconds after midnight at the

Midlands Medical Centre.Samantha and Amileo Massey,

from Raisethorpe, said thatAlejandré,whoweighed3,02 kg,wastheir first child and the firstgrandchild for both their families.

Midlands Medical Centrecelebrated a second New Year’s Daybabywhen littleLwandlewasbornat10.28am, weighing 2,95 kg.

Proud mum Nonhlanhla Mkhizesaid itwas very special to have aNewYearbaby, especially asLwandlewasher first child.

Mediclinic welcomed their firstarrival at 9.47am when ReshmikaRajah gave birth to a little boyweighing 2,35 kg.

The newborn, who doesn’t yethave a name, is the first baby forReshmika and her husband, Ashen,who live in Ferncliffe.

Speaking about their baby, whowas due on January 19, the Rajahssaid: “It’s overwhelming to have anew baby anyway, let alone to haveone on New Year’s Day.”

OveratStAnne’sNetcareHospital,little Awonke Sishi waited a week tomake his appearance. Bongiwe fromElandskopsaidshefelt“veryblessed”to have a New Year baby. Awonke,who weighed 3,690 kg, was born at

9.04 am.There was a second baby born at

thehospital, a little girl,whoweighedjust 750 g.

She is being cared for in the StAnne’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The dawn of 2015 saw the arrival

of some 34 babies at governmenthospitals throughout KZNl.

KwaZulu-NatalHealthMECDrSi-bongiseni Dhlomo said theprovince’s New Year’s Day babiesincluded 20 girls and 14 boys, bornbetween midnight and 10am.

PHOTO:ESTELLE SINKINSSamantha and Amileo Massey, fromRaisethorpe, with baby Alejandré,who was born at five seconds aftermidnight at Midlands MedicalCentre.

NEWS

188 January 2015

maritzburg

ECHO

Awonke Sishi, whowaited a week to makehis appearance at StAnne’s Netcare Hospital,is pictured with momBongiwe from Elandskop.PHOTO: ESTELLE SINKINS

PHOTO: JONATHAN BURTONNonhlanhla Mchunu from Taylor’s Halt with baby daughter Alondwe, whowas born at 1.40 am, weighing in at 2,49 kg.

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