NW Department of Education returns R225 million of unused infrastructure grant

4 March 2020

Note to Editors: Kindly find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA North West Spokesperson on Education, Gavin Edwards.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West is appalled that a whopping R225 million of the Department of Education’s infrastructure grant has been returned to Treasury to be allocated to Mpumalanga.

This shameful failure on the Department’s part was probed at a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Education in the Provincial Legislature yesterday and neither MEC Wendy Matsemela, Administrator, Johannes Mohlala or Head of Department (HOD), StephinahSemaswe could account for this disastrous dereliction of duty.

The DA is especially dismayed at the fact that the MEC, Administrator and HOD have committed themselves to improving the Department’s cash flow and the infrastructure of schools during a meeting in August 2019, only to now return unspent funds.

In a mostly rural province such as North West, the shortage of schools, poor sanitary conditions and dilapidated school buildings should be prioritised, but instead the pleas of thousands of learners and parents for improved facilities are disregarded.

Although the MEC conceded that she was aware of the return of the R225 million, neither herself, the Administrator or the HOD could account for the fact that a total of R351 million has been returned since the Department has been placed under administration in terms of Section 100(1)(b) in 2018.

This directly implicates the National Department of Education’s failure in its mandate of ensuring that its Constitutional obligations are fulfilled.

From the blame-shifting, it is clear that these three top officials do not understand their respective roles in line with the intervention, as the MEC is stripped of all executive powers in terms of Section 100(1)(b). Until such directives are clearly communicated, this Department will never improve on its poor performance.

The ambiguity regarding the roles and responsibilities of executive members and accounting officers during an administration period, contributes to the continued poor performance by departments under administration.

We are of the view that neither the MEC, Administrator or HOD are fit to steer this Department in the right direction and are of the view that all three should do the honourable thing by resigning.

To this end, we will write to Premier Mokgoro and Minister of Education, Angie Motshekga to decisively deal with the afore stated officials.

Issued by Gavin Edwards,DA North West Spokesperson on Education, 4 March 2020