Education department terminates contracts of companies implicated in food contamination
6 November 2014
Contracts have been terminated with immediate effect for the companies implicated in the food contamination that resulted in learners being hospitalised in Limpopo (see Citizen report).
The Limpopo Department of Education supported by the Department of Basic Education served the letters of termination earlier today to two companies and another was given a warning to improve its service. The Department will also involve South African Police Services (SAPS) to conduct an investigation into allegations with a view to laying criminal charges.
The National School Nutrition programme (NSNP) is funded through a ring-fenced Conditional Grant in terms of the Division of Revenue Act (DORA). The DORA particularly determines a legal framework through which the NSNP must be implemented. Coupled with this, the Minister of Basic Education has taken the executive responsibility of the Limpopo Department of Education in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 to the extent necessary. Therefore, the Minister and the Department of Basic Education have the responsibility to ensure a compliant roll-out of the NSNP in Limpopo schools.
The education department ended the contracts of Dingatana as well as Amandla Karabo after conducting several investigations into the allegations of food contamination; as well as paying unannounced visits to the suppliers' warehouses to conduct in loco inspections on each of the warehouses.
The investigation established that Amandla Karabo failed to comply with stated requirements and standards, both in terms of the quality of the foodstuffs delivered to schools and the condition of their warehouse. The monitoring team strongly recommended that Amandla Karabo be released with immediate effect from the NSNP in Limpopo.
The monitoring team recommended that Dingatana's involvement in the NSNP in Limpopo should be discontinued with immediate effect after several attempts failed to locate the company director and its physical address for inspection.
The Department will introduce additional monitoring measures with school-based monitors to report daily on the implementation of the programme
The NSNP monitoring system is being reviewed to tighten critical stages of food supply chain, and to solicit the support of the Department of Health and Local Municipality. Relations will be strengthened with the Health Environmental Practitioners in Limpopo to draw lessons and replicate a process of establishing checks and balances on monitoring suppliers in all provinces.
In the lights of the unfortunate incidents in Limpopo, the DBE is currently reviewing the draft 2015/16 Grant Framework to be gazetted in the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) to incorporate a transversal procurement system to enhance the operations of the current system.
DBE is currently exploring the expansion of the use of technology in monitoring the school nutrition programme. A Technical Task Team has been established to work on the modalities of introducing the system throughout all provinces. An operational plan for the provincial roll-out is expected before the end of November 2014.
Statement issued by Elijah Mhlanga, Department of Basic Education, November 7 2014
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