Section27

21/08/2026

21/08/2026

Spotlight NSP | Long before she became a pioneering scientist, Professor Liesl Zühlke insisted on seeing her tonsils after they were removed when she was just five years old. Today, paediatric cardiology is close to her heart, and her research has helped answer critical questions in the entire pipeline of heart disease.

https://www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/08/18/this-world-class-scientist-from-cape-town-used-to-cut-up-her-dolls-and-perform-imaginary-transplant-surgeries

Long before she became a pioneering scientist, Professor Liesl Zühlke insisted on seeing her tonsils after they were removed when she was just five years old. Today, paediatric cardiology is close to her heart, and her research has helped answer critical questions in the entire pipeline of heart di...

20/08/2026

Sexual abuse in schools can have devastating and lasting consequences for learners. SECTION27 continues to challenge failures in the education system that leave learners vulnerable to abuse and calls for stronger protections, accountability and meaningful support for survivors.

Reporting abuse is an important step in protecting learners. Reports must be taken seriously, acted on promptly and handled in ways that prioritise the safety and dignity of every child.

Read more in our report: https://shorturl.at/omQuX

20/08/2026

A significant victory for Eastern Cape schools!

Today, the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda made a final order declaring that the Eastern Cape Department of Education’s decisions to underfund public schools between 2020 and 2022, and to withhold 33.75% of their allocations in the 2023 - 2025 financial years, were unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.

The Court confirmed that, unless the Department complies with the strict requirements for a lawful funding plan, schools must receive at least the national minimum amount allocated for every learner. The Department cannot simply retain a portion of the money allocated to schools and decide how to spend it on their behalf. Schools and their governing bodies must be able to use the funding allocated to them to respond to the real needs of their learners.

The Department must report to the Court every three months for the next year on its compliance and the steps it is taking to ensure that every Eastern Cape school receives its correct allocation for the 2027/2028 financial year, based on its quintile and number of enrolled learners.

This important result follows the persistence of the Makhanda Circle of Unity and the school governing bodies of Ntsika Secondary School, Hoërskool PJ Olivier and Tyantyi Lower Primary School. Their action has helped secure greater protection for schools and learners across the province.

We congratulate the LRC legal team on this achievement and thank our clients for entrusting us with this important case.

Look out for our full press statement.



Section27

19/08/2026

| The women of 1956 showed us what is possible when people stand together, speak out and demand change.

At SECTION27, we carry that legacy forward by continuing to challenge injustice and work towards a South Africa where everyone can live with dignity, equality and justice.

Their courage was not just for their time. It is a call to action for all of us today.

So, how will you carry their legacy forward?

19/08/2026

ATTENTION PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ❗

The 2027 Online Admissions for Grade 1 and Grade 8 in Gauteng are currently open, until midnight on 4 September 2026.

Remember to upload your documents onto the system or submit them in person at the preferred school.

All documents must be valid, certified & accurately match information entered on the system.✅📄

To apply, visit: www.gdeadmissions.gov.za

For more information:
Call: 0800 000 789 | 011 355 0000
Email: [email protected]

Or visit:
Gauteng Department of Education Head Office: 17 Simmonds Street, Marshalltown, Johannesburg, 2001

19/08/2026

18/08/2026

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 | SECTION27 will intervene as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the case between Makhanda Circle of Unity and Others v Head of Department, Eastern Cape Department of Education and Others. The applicants, represented by the Legal Resources Centre, are challenging the Eastern Cape Department of Education’s (ECDoE) decision to cut funding at public schools in the Eastern Cape. The matter will be heard on 19 August 2026 in the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Makhanda.

Read full statement here: https://shorturl.at/vHKgF

17/08/2026

Access to safe abortion empowers women to make informed choices about their bodies, futures and wellbeing. Rights are only meaningful when they can be exercised freely, safely and without barriers.

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ICYMI, SECTION27 and the Treatment Action Campaign Treatment Action Campaign launched a report exposing widespread barriers to abortion services in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Download the report here: https://shorturl.at/5HtEQ

EU in South Africa

17/08/2026

South Africa has an ageing population of people living with HIV. For the first time a set of clinical guidelines maps out a framework to help keep this group of people healthier for longer, reports Elna Schütz.