The new school year in South Africa coincided with a spike in COVID-19 cases. The Ministry of Education announced that the start of the new academic year will be postponed by a month to curb the further spread of the virus. The decision met with approval and criticism. Mark Potterton explains why delaying the return to classes is also a social justice issue.

With active COVID-19 cases at their highest since the start of the pandemic, an alarming number of deaths and hospital wards filled to capacity, many knew that schooling would not return to normal this year.

Continue reading Back to School: Stop or go? at spotlight.africa.

At noon today it was announced by the Holy See’s Press Office that the Holy Father Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Kevin Dowling, C.S.s.R. as Bishop of the Diocese of Rustenburg, and has appointed the Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Pretoria, Fr. Robert Mogapi Mphiwe, to be the new Bishop of Rustenburg. At the same time, it was also announced that the current Bishop of Eshowe, Bishop Xolelo Thaddaeus Kumalo has been transferred to care for the Diocese of Witbank.

Continue reading Pope appoints new bishops for Rustenburg and Witbank dioceses at spotlight.africa.