Kaya 959 Point of View with Phemelo Motene

BOSA Fails in Bid to Raise Matric Pass Mark to 50%

Loading player...
A heated education debate ended in disappointment for Build One SA, as Parliament voted down its proposal to raise the matric pass mark from 30% to a more ambitious 50%. 119 MPs, including the ANC, DA and FF Plus, opposed the motion, while 87, led by the MK Party, EFF, IFP, Rise Mzansi and ATM, backed it. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane argued that the current pass threshold sets learners up for failure and entrenches systemic inequality, from overcrowded classrooms to collapsing early childhood development. But MPs clashed sharply over the causes of poor outcomes and fears of destabilising the schooling system. Phemelo speaks to BOSA Deputy President Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster on what the defeat means for South Africa’s education future.
2 Dec 2025 3PM English South Africa Education · Careers

Other recent episodes

Legal Matters: eviction, restraint of trade

This week's Legal Matters Nthabiseng Dubazana unpacks key legal issues, including eviction linked to criminal activity, a labour dispute over whether workers were picketing or rehearsing wedding songs, and restraint of trade without a written agreement.
22 Jul 2PM 36 min

SASSA under fire as beneficiaries brave freezing cold for grants

More than 50 people, including pensioners, mothers with children and people with disabilities, spent the night outside SASSA's Bellville office in freezing temperatures just to secure a place in the queue. ActionSA says the scenes expose a failing system and is calling for urgent improvements, while SASSA has responded to…
22 Jul 2PM 22 min

SA women's hockey team shines on the field but battles funding off it

South African hockey player Onthatile "Thati" Zulu has lifted the lid on the financial strain facing the national women's team, revealing that players often have to fund their own World Cup preparations through sponsorships, crowdfunding and personal contributions. Her open letter has reignited the debate around funding for under-supported sports…
22 Jul 2PM 16 min

Parliament questions Treasury over R13.5bn municipal funding freeze

Parliament has grilled National Treasury over its decision to withhold R13.5 billion in funding from struggling municipalities over financial mismanagement and unpaid debts. While 27 councils have had their funding restored and more are expected to receive payments, dozens remain without crucial funds as Treasury insists they meet strict financial…
21 Jul 2PM 13 min

CRL Rights Commission cracks down after 43 initiation deaths this winter

The CRL Rights Commission is stepping up efforts to tackle the ongoing crisis at initiation schools after 43 initiates lost their lives during this year's winter initiation season. The latest figures also reveal dozens of hospitalisations, abductions, illegal schools and criminal cases, prompting the commission to launch a special committee…
21 Jul 2PM 16 min
All episodes