For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Mixed reactions to Ramaphosa’s opening of Parly address, while opposition promises vigilance; Joburg Crisis Alliance calls for mayor’s resignation; And, DHET vows to fix NSFAS while SIU tries to claw back R112m

Mixed reactions to Ramaphosa’s opening of Parly address, while opposition promises vigilance

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s opening of Parliament address has been met with praise and criticism from political parties represented in Parliament.

Ramaphosa officially opened the Parliament of the seventh democratic administration on Thursday evening.

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said the alignment with DA policy in the list of priority areas announced by Ramaphosa in his speech, was a clear indication that the party’s call for a programme based on rapid economic growth and job creation had been heeded.

Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi said his party would support Ramaphosa’s intervention on economic growth and job creation.

ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said his party’s response to Ramaphosa’s opening address was a blend of cautious endorsement and pointed criticism.

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters said there was nothing of substance offered by the plans of what it calls the “white supremacist” GNU.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party Parliamentary leader John Hlophe said Ramaphosa’s speech was appalling, with a lot of GNU influence, and he concluded that the speech was compromised.

Build One South Africa’s Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster noted that Ramaphosa’s address did not deliver on the bold reforms, saying a golden opportunity was missed.

Joburg Crisis Alliance calls for mayor’s resignation

With the decline in citizen confidence and trust in the leadership of City of Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, residents, under the banner of the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, have called for his resignation.

The Alliance said Gwamanda and his team did not have the “requisite skills and capability” to resolve the deepening governance crisis in Johannesburg.

The JCA noted that the leadership crisis in the city and the specific failures of the mayor are reflected in the handling of the recent electricity surcharge and tariff increase, as well as ongoing electricity outages across the City.

It pointed to the press statement issued by the mayor on the matter, which it said labelled Johannesburg residents who raised their concerns about the electricity surcharge as "stooges".

The JCA said Gwamanda and his mayoral committee seemed to lack genuine concern for the wellbeing of Johannesburg and its residents.

And, DHET vows to fix NSFAS while SIU tries to claw back R112m

The Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe has vowed to fix the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and take the institution out of administration, while ensuring that only so-called “deserving students” are provided with the financial support they need.

The Department of Higher Education and Training commended the Special Investigating Unit for taking active steps to claw back irregular payments, which Gondwe said sent a clear message that the abuse of the student funding system would not be tolerated.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago highlighted that SIU had signed debt agreements with over 400 students who did not qualify to be funded by NSFAS, but who received funding anyway.

The SIU said that in total it expected to be paid back over R112-million in irregular payments, as part of the agreements.

Gondwe noted that 421 students, from across five universities and four technical vocational education and training colleges, who did not qualify to be funded by NSFAS, had signed acknowledgement of debt agreements to pay back the money that was irregularly paid to them.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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