For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa appoints Deputy Public Protector; Higher Education Minister says vocational institutions are not residual options; And, Guinea Bissau sets December 2026 election date after coup

Ramaphosa appoints Deputy Public Protector

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Advocate Dinkie Portia Dube as South Africa’s Deputy Public Protector, for a term of seven years, from February 1.

The position of Deputy Public Protector became vacant following the appointment of Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, to the position of Public Protector.

Dube has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector with expertise in oversight, complaints management and investigation.

She is currently the director-general of the Public Service Commission, before which she served as the chief director of operations in the Office of the Military Ombudsman.

Between 2011 and 2014, Dube was the provincial director of the Gauteng Office of the Public Protector South Africa.

Higher Education Minister says vocational institutions are not residual options

Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela today stressed the importance of vocational education in the country’s post-school system, stating that Technical and Vocational Education and Training and community colleges are not residual options.

Manamela was briefing the media on the Post School Education and Training Sector’s plans for the 2026 academic year as well as the state of readiness.

He said the post-school education and training system currently has about 535 000 or so funded and planned spaces across universities, TVET colleges, community colleges, skills programme and also workplace-based learning.

Manamela told media that South Africa’s post-school system must be differentiated, articulated, but also well-communicated, as he noted a stagnant performance in mathematics and accounting.

Manamela said the country’s post-school system was deliberately designed to be differentiated with universities, TVET colleges, community colleges, occupational qualifications, skills programmes, and work-based learning, all forming part of a senior system.

And, Guinea Bissau sets December 2026 election date after coup

Guinea Bissau has scheduled presidential and legislative elections to be held on December 6, following a coup in the troubled West African nation late last year that disrupted the electoral process.

The date was set by presidential decree signed yesterday.

Army officers in the West African state seized power on November 26, a day before the electoral commission was due to announce the results of a contested election.

The soldiers, calling themselves the Military High Command, toppled incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and installed Major-General Horta Inta-a as interim president the following day.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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