Staff Reporter

The KwaZulu-Natal education department will press on with its R2.5 billion school nutrition programme after the Pietermaritzburg High Court struck off the roll an urgent bid by service providers to halt the awarding of contracts.

The programme provides meals to about 2.5 million learners a day in KwaZulu-Natal.

The court ruled in its favour on Friday and ordered the applicants to pay costs, allowing the programme to continue, while any remaining administrative and operational issues are dealt with through due process.

“This outcome means the Department can continue implementing the programme without disruption, while allowing space for due process to be followed in addressing any outstanding administrative or operational matters,” the department said in a statement.

The urgent application was brought by a group of service providers seeking to interdict the tender rollout. They argued that if the department were allowed to proceed with appeals currently pending with the provincial treasury, unsuccessful bidders would be prejudiced and left without recourse.

In their court papers, the applicants also raised allegations of corruption and irregularities in the tender process. These included claims involving a company linked to the mother of Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka, companies allegedly tied to politically connected individuals, and assertions that some firms were registered after the tender closed but still received contracts.

The department, in a replying affidavit by its director for nutrition, Thanduxolo Cele, said the application was flawed because it sought to stop the entire process, including clusters where there were no disputes.

Following Friday’s ruling, the department sought to reassure schools and families that the feeding scheme would continue uninterrupted.

“We must reassure all stakeholders — learners, parents, and schools — that working together with committed service providers, the School Nutrition Programme remains fully operational across the province,” the statement said.

“We remain firmly committed to ensuring that there are no interruptions to the programme and learners continue to receive nutritious meals daily.”

The department said there were “ongoing constructive engagements with all stakeholders” to ensure the programme functioned optimally and that it was already taking steps to tighten monitoring, improve procurement and payment efficiency, ensure accountability, and make sure service providers were paid on time.

“While the matter has been struck off the roll, our priority remains unchanged—ensuring that no learner goes hungry. We will continue to strengthen the implementation of the School Nutrition Programme and address any challenges with urgency and transparency,” Hlomuka said.

The department said it remained committed to adhering to procurement rules and regulations in delivering the programme as a vital support to teaching and learning.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education will seek legal advice after questioning Minister Siviwe Gwarube and the department over alleged irregularities in two senior appointments.

Committee chairperson Joy Maimela said this week that members remained unconvinced by the explanations provided by the minister and the department, particularly over the decision to recommend the second-ranked candidate instead of the top-performing applicant in the Deputy Director General (DDG) post.  

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“We were told that the Minister has the authority to do so. However, how is it procedurally fair that the highest-scoring candidate — who also performed best in the assessment — is overlooked simply because such discretion exists? Where is the fairness in the process?” she asked.

The posts were advertised in November 2024 and interviews were held on 5 May 2025.

The committee heard allegations that Gwarube had unduly influenced the DDG appointment process by recommending the second-best performing candidate to Cabinet instead of the top candidate, and that the recommended candidate had been linked to cadre deployment claims.

The committee was told that the leading candidate had ranked highest in both the interview and competency assessment, but that the selection panel’s recommendation was not upheld after the assessment phase.

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In response, Gwarube said she had acted within her executive responsibilities to ensure proper process rather than interfere in it.

She maintained that her recommendation was based on interview performance and overall suitability, and denied any prior knowledge of or relationship with the recommended candidate, including any awareness of the individual’s political affiliations.

“I want to state on the record that…I have never met the individual that I have recommended. I have never heard of her before they applied. I don’t know this individual and I have never interacted with them.” Gwarube said. “The only knowledge I have of this person is what I saw on paper, and when this person came for the interview.”

The committee also dealt with the appointment process for the Chief Director: Communications post.

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It heard allegations that a former chief of staff in the minister’s office had submitted two CVs directly to the human resources unit even though the applicants had not followed the prescribed application process.

It said HR had also been instructed to provide both an A-list of all applicants and a B-list of qualifying candidates. The former chief of staff had since resigned.

Tensions flared over the department’s failure to provide documents requested ahead of the meeting.

Maimela said the omission was unacceptable and undermined Parliament’s work. “We formally wrote to the Minister and the department requesting specific documents in preparation for today’s engagement. These were not provided, nor were reasons given for this failure. This is unacceptable and undermines the work of the committee,” she said.

Committee member Sedukanelo Louw said the committee had been hamstrung in preparing its questioning. “We are looking for documents with regards to our parliamentary privilege. We are, however, covered by the law to do oversight on any matter. Failure for us not to receive documentation is deliberate, since it’s not for the first time. We wanted documentation as to how we can align our line of questioning,” he said.

Other members also raised concerns.

Siphetho Mkhize accused the department of “unresponsiveness, blame shifting and scapegoating”, while Mandla Shiwkambana asked who had taken the decision to withhold the requested documents. Ciska Jordaan supported a proposal that future presentations should be accompanied by a letter explaining what documents could be shared and why others were unavailable.

Maimela said the committee would continue with its oversight work despite any pending executive processes.

“We understand and respect that some matters may still be subject to Cabinet processes. However, pending processes do not absolve the department from accountability to Parliament. The committee will continue to interrogate the processes followed and the governance implications arising from these matters,” she said.

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The committee resolved to seek legal advice on how best to proceed.

The Democratic Alliance, in which Gwarube is a senior member, has backed the minister.

In a statement issued by DA deputy spokesperson on basic education Ciska Jordaan, the party said the department’s chief director for human resources had confirmed that the minister “did not interfere in the recruitment process under discussion”.

The DA said the minister’s actions were “consistent with her legal responsibilities as Executive Authority, including ensuring that recruitment processes are lawful, fair, and based on merit”.

It also cautioned against “unverified claims” and a narrative built on “insinuation rather than evidence”.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Mosima

The North West Department of Education says it has identified about R24 million for recovery in 2,128 staff debt cases, as it tries to recoup salary overpayments made to former employees.

The department said on Wednesday that it had made progress over the past three years in tracing affected employees and requiring them to sign Acknowledgement of Debt forms to facilitate repayment.

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It said in a statement that the debt had accumulated since 2003, largely because of manual processes used to submit termination documents from district offices. “Many of these areas are remote and rural, which has caused delays in submitting critical documentation”.

“As a result, some employees continued to receive salary payments after their termination, leading to overpayments.”

The department said salaries are processed in advance around the 15th or 24th of each month, increasing the risk of overpayments when exits are not captured in time.

It also rejected allegations that “ghost workers” were involved.

“These cases do not involve ghost employees; all affected individuals were legitimately employed by the department,” the department said.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) said last week that the matter was actually about a “R100 million ghost-employee payroll scandal”.

It rejected the department’s attempt to explain it away as “isolated incidents” linked to manual system limitations. The union said the department’s account was “misleading” and that the losses pointed to a “systemic governance failure”.

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The PSA said Auditor-General findings under Material Irregularity 01 of 2022/23 showed the department had recorded staff debts of more than R100 million, including salaries paid to employees who had resigned, retired or died, but had not been removed from the payroll in time.

It said this reflected failures in financial controls, human resources verification and executive oversight. Routine audits and reconciliations should have detected the problem earlier, it said.  

The union said improved systems alone would not be enough without accountability, and called for a forensic investigation into the payments.

It said the head of department and chief financial officer should vacate their positions immediately and that implicated officials should be suspended pending the outcome of a full probe.

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But North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi said in Wednesday’s statement that the department had introduced measures to address the causes of the problem, including an electronic system known as Salary Attendance Leave and Termination.

“This system has significantly reduced salary overpayments linked to delayed terminations. It updates Human Resources in real time and sends email notifications when an employee exits, enabling immediate processing on PERSAL,” she said.

“The department has also trained officials on the system to ensure its effective use. Since its implementation, there has been a noticeable reduction in staff debt.”

Motsumi said investigations into the causes of the problem and the implementation of consequence management were continuing.

“To date, 24 disciplinary letters and 64 warning letters have been issued.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima 

A violent fight between two female learners in Bilanyoni township has prompted a KwaZulu-Natal education department investigation after footage spread online and allegations emerged that some community members encouraged the brawl.

The pupils are reported to be from Kanyekanye High School and Kwasa High School, near Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The altercation, filmed in full view of other learners and community members, circulated widely on social media and drew condemnation from the education department.  

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KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka said the department was also concerned by allegations that some community members had not only watched the violence but in some cases incited it.

“Schools must remain safe havens for teaching and learning. We cannot allow a culture of violence to take root within our communities and spill over into our schools. Those who incite or participate in such acts are failing our children and must be held accountable,” Hlomuka said.

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The department said it was working with both schools to investigate the circumstances of the incident and would apply disciplinary measures in line with school policies. It also said psycho-social support would be provided to the learners involved and to others affected by witnessing the fight.

The department said it would meet with community leaders and law enforcement to address the root causes of the behaviour and to reinforce the responsibility to protect learners.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

Two Gauteng learners have been killed in separate stabbing incidents, raising renewed concern over violence affecting school communities.

The incidents involved a 17-year-old Grade 8 learner from Forest High School in Johannesburg, and a Grade 12 learner from Daleview Secondary School in Ennerdale, the Gauteng Department of Education said on Tuesday.

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It said preliminary reports indicated that the Forest High learner was severely beaten and stabbed on Friday, 20 March, at Rotunda Park, near the school, after classes.

He was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to another facility, where he died from his injuries.

In a separate incident on Monday (yesterday) a Grade 12 learner from Daleview Secondary School was stabbed to death in an open veld between the school and a local store while walking home after school.

“The circumstances surrounding these incidents are currently under investigation by police,” the department said.

The department said psycho-social support services had been mobilised and would be provided to learners, educators and the bereaved families.

Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane said the deaths were a loss for the province’s education community.

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“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and both school communities affected by these tragedies. Violence against our learners, whether within or outside school premises, is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.

“We call on communities to work closely with law enforcement to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, and to stand united in protecting our children so that our schools remain safe spaces for teaching and learning,” said Chiloane.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela 

Autumn graduation season has started at South African universities, with Wits, UJ and Rhodes already hosting ceremonies, while Limpopo, the University of the Free State, Mpumalanga and Pretoria are due to hold graduations in April and May.

The University of the Witwatersrand has opened its autumn graduation season, with 5,565 students set to graduate between 18 and 27 March.

Wits said the ceremonies cover the faculties of Science, Commerce, Law and Management, Humanities, and Engineering and the Built Environment, while Health Sciences will graduate later in the year.

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Wits will also confer an honorary Doctor of Science in Engineering on African entrepreneur and computer scientist Sir John Wilfred Lazar on 27 March. Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal Zeblon Vilakazi said: “Graduation is a powerful reminder of what it means to push beyond limits and emerge stronger on the other side. As we celebrate our graduands, who are stepping into the next chapter of their journeys, we are equally honoured to recognise Sir John, whose life’s work exemplifies innovation, leadership, and meaningful impact.”

At the University of Johannesburg, autumn graduation ceremonies are also under way. The university recently conferred an honorary Doctorate in Philosophy (Honoris Causa) on former Namibian first lady Monica Geingos, recognising her advocacy on health equity, youth empowerment and structural inequality. In remarks published by UJ, Geingos told graduates: “The critical skills needed for the future are the ability to package, internalise, work and process information quickly.”

The University of Limpopo has announced that its autumn graduation ceremonies will take place from 7 to 15 April at the Onkgopotse Tiro Hall.

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The University of the Free State is scheduled to hold its ceremonies from 10 to 18 April, while Rhodes University’s March graduations run from 25 to 27 March.

The University of Mpumalanga has published graduation information showing a special ceremony on 5 May, followed by its main graduation sessions from 6 to 9 May.

The University of Pretoria, meanwhile, has scheduled its autumn graduation ceremonies from 4 to 29 May, according to its official academic calendar.

INSIDE EDUCATION