Nzimande's shame

[SAP]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] October 30 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, In this week's Mail & Guardian: Tens of thousands of technical and vocational education and training college graduates can't get jobs because the government failed to print their graduation certificates. We also look into the murder of mining rights activist Fikile Ntshangase in KwaZulu-Natal, plus our special Africa-wide coverage of the US election. The shame of 40 000 missing education certificates: Bongekile Macupe reports that more than 40 000 higher education [graduates have yet to receive their certificates]( -- some years after they qualified. Engineers, artisans and business students are either unemployed, working at retail stores or about to lose the jobs they have found without their certificates. This is a problem the higher education minister, Blade Nzimande, has failed to address since he took up his post more than 10 years ago. The backlog stretches to 1992, leading the minister to say in parliament that he feels "ashamed". The living nightmare of activists who protest mine expansion: Terrified women and children flee their homes every night as [fears of being murdered grip Somkhele]( in KwaZulu-Natal. Khaya Koko and Oupa Nkosi report that this terror follows last Thursday's gunning down of Fikile Ntshangase, 63, who was shot six times and killed inside her home in Ophondweni Village while her 13-year-old grandson played outside with two of his friends, metres away from the gruesome death. Biden's debate guests run the only Zimbabwean restaurant in America: Sitting in the limited crowd of the final US presidential debate -- as guests of Joe Biden -- were Zwelibanzi Moyo-Williams and Leonardo Williams, the owners of Zweli's Kitchen, which is thought to be the only Zimbabwean restaurant in the US. They were contacted the day before the event by a Biden staffer, who asked them how fast they could make their way to Nashville. They live in Durham, North Carolina, so they rented a car and drove overnight to get there. Simon Allison got in contact with the duo and [spoke to them about the surreal experience](. 'Veteran's stripes' vs 'kind and fair': As expected, the supporters of Democratic Alliance interim leader John Steenhuisen and KwaZulu-Natal MPL Mbali Ntuli both believe their preferred candidates have the vision and leadership abilities to take the official opposition to new heights, even though Steenhuisen has been touted as a shoo-in for federal leader. A dozen supporters whom Des Erasmus spoke to this week all expressed admiration for the [leadership abilities of both candidates]( with the proverbial crunch coming in the form of track record and the ability to connect with South Africans. That brings us to the end of another week, friends. As always we wish a blissful weekend. If you have any thoughts you would like to share with us, drop an email to Ampersand@mg.co.za. Until Tuesday, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [Gems]( [Divider Strip] [LGSETA]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -