Koena Mashale

Pretoria

Contributor at Freelance

Reporter at Sowetan

Journalist @Sowetanlive | Daughter | Sister | Faith

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Articles

Shock as Gauteng education dumps municipal bills on no-fee schools

4 days ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale |Sandile Ndlovu

Eldomaine High School’s SGB says it is now expected to cover arrears running into hundreds of thousands of rand. Hundreds of non-fee-paying schools across Gauteng are facing utility disconnections after the education stopped paying their water and electricity bills, and quietly transferred historical debt running into millions to already struggling communities. In 2023, the department took over the responsibility of paying utility bills for non-fee-paying schools.
Improving ECD must be a national priority

5 days ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

SA’s failure to invest meaningfully in early childhood development (ECD) is deepening the country’s literacy crisis, education experts warn. Thewarning comes in the wake of the release of the 2024 Reading Panel report, which revealed that a staggering 81% of grade 4 pupils could notread for meaning in any language. The report highlightedhow the Covid-19 pandemic worsened long-standing educational inequalities, especially in under-resourced schools.
Teachers can't even move in overcrowded classes

5 days ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

Overcrowded classrooms in Cosmo City Junior 1 school in Cosmo City Sixty-seven pupils squeeze into a single classroom built for half that number. Huddled three to a desk or on the floor, the children strain to hear the teacher’s voice, which is drowned out by the noise reverberating through the packed room.
Nearly 3% of school staff flagged for criminal activity, including sexual offences

5 days ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta Nearly 3% of school staff screened between March 2024 and February 2025 were flagged for criminal activity, including violent and sexual offences, according to a report on new data from background screening provider TPN. The report, which reviewed thousands of educators, coaches, administrative workers and grounds staff across SA schools, showed that one in 34 had a criminal record.
The Quick Interview | Makhoba uses fashion waste to tackle housing shortage

5 days ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

Phamela Makhoba builds homes—and a movement—from waste. At just 30 years old, Phamela Makhoba from Katlehong in Ekurhuleni takes on two global crises with a single innovation, tackling SA’s housing shortage using discarded fashion waste. Inspired by billionaire Mark Shuttleworth’s ethos that “nothing is impossible”, Makhoba merges architectural training with sustainability to develop Texiboards, durable, eco-friendly building panels made from recycled textiles.
City Power stops disconnections in Alex as residents protest

1 week ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

Angry community members insisted that they had been paying for electricity. City Power left Riverparks, Alexandra without having disconnected any residential homes despite its threats to cut illegal connections in the area. Officials had descended on Riverparks on Thursday morning and proceeded to disconnect two homes, but they stopped when a community protest suddenly flared up.
WATCH | At only 17, brainy Hazel bags her first degree

1 week ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale

Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli, one of University of Pretoria’s (UP) youngest-ever graduates – obtained a degree in Actuarial Science that she’d completed at the age of 17. When she was in grade 3, Hazel Ntuli mistakenly wrote a grade 4 maths paper and scored the highest of all the actual pupils in that grade. It was then that her teacher realised how bright Hazel was and gave her more grade 4 papers to write.
Malatsi stands his ground on the proposed ICT policy directive

1 week ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale |Sumaya Hisham

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi gestures while briefing the Communications Committee on his proposed draft policy on May 27. Minister of communications and digital technologies Solly Malatsi says he will not be bullied or pressured into serving political interests linked to his party, the DA.
Starlink won't be only company to benefit from proposed policy change - Malatsi

1 week ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale |Sumaya Hisham

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi gestures while briefing the Communications Committee on his proposed draft policy, which includes alternatives to Black ownership requirements, emphasizing that the policy is not solely intended for Elon Musk's Starlink, in Parliament, Cape Town.
Elon Musk’s Starlink could soon enter SA market

1 week ago | sowetanlive.co.za | Koena Mashale |Kevin Lamarque

Elon Musk looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2025. Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX could soon enter the SA market after recently gazetted new policy directions that appear to benefit the entity. According to technology expert Arthur Goldstuck, Starlink may change how underserved communities connect to the internet.