DA to query KZN “Hollywood” style matric result extravaganza costs

9 January 2017

The DA will today write to KZN Education MEC, Mthandeni Dlungwane to establish how much his department spent on an extravagant “Hollywood” style function held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) to celebrate the province’s matric results.

The event, held last week on Thursday, was attended by the DA as part of its official opposition mandate. The excessive nature of the function was horrifying with glamourous banquet styled tables and top catering for well over 1 000 guests.

The DA fully acknowledges that top achievers need to recognised and congratulated. However, the “over the top” occasion witnessed last week is highly questionable given that the province’s education department is in the midst of a financial crisis. Under the current circumstances there can be no justification whatsoever for such runaway expenditure.

Of further concern was the MEC’s reference to challenges and failures of education during which he cited weak leadership and an overall lack of accountability by his predecessors as the reasons for ongoing poor performance levels.

This blame game does not cut it with the DA. It is incomprehensible that any individual should be responsible for the under-performance of an entire organ of state – in this case the KZN Education department. Instead, this is a clear case that the ANC is unable to develop a capable state.

As part of its mandate to KZN’s voters, members of the DA in the KZN Legislature will next week undertake oversight visits to certain schools in the province. We are particularly keen to visit those Quintile 1 schools which scored a 100% pass rate. The overall objective of the DA during these visits will be to drive best practice models in the province to ensure that swift and substantial progress is made.

If the ANC cannot get the basics right then the DA will take up the struggle on behalf of KZN’s many learners who continue to receive a sub-standard education.

Issued by Francois Rodgers, Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature, 9 January 2016