Covid-19: MEC Mshengu must explain why DoE paid exorbitant PPE prices - only to have it ‘disappear’
3 June 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has established during a recent KwaZulu-Natal Education portfolio committee that the province’s Department of Education (DoE) spent just over R422 million on the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and related material for returning learners in Grades 7 and 12 - at massively inflated prices (view here).
While all items meet the required standards (as per Treasury Instruction 5), Infrared thermometers - available at between R800 and R1 000 on the open market - were purchased at a cost of more than R2 500 each.
Hand sanitiser, available at wholesale prices ranging from R45 to R65 per litre, was purchased by the Department at R183 per litre.
Cloth masks, available for as little as R10 each, were also purchased by the DoE at a cost of R25 each. Meanwhile, 16L spray bottles – normally available at a cost of around R400 were purchased for R1 800 each – a mark-up of more than 400%.