The IFP in the KwaZulu Natal legislature is dismayed at the apparent waste of financial resources by the KZN Department of Education. An IFP member of the KZN legislature, Hon Mntomuhle Khawula asked the Education MEC to provide information about how many community engagements the department conducted from January 2019 to the 8th May 2019, and also the breakdown of the spending associated with each event.
Below is the shocking figures of what was spent on each event that the department provided:
1. Ukukhanyakomsinga Special School – Official opening; 15 February 2019
Infrastructure – R50 000.00
Stakeholder catering – R17 850.00
Community catering – R94 500.00
Advertising – R535 457.22
2. Nyonyana primary school official opening: 19 February 2019
Infrastructure – R239 900.00
Stakeholders catering – R8 600.00
Community catering – R97 500.00
Advertising – R466 112.93
3. Mzwandile Mbongwa secondary school official opening: 1 March 2019
Infrastructure – R379 500.00
Stakeholders catering – R17 900.00
Community catering – R195 000.00
Advertising – R460 986.68
4. Pholela secondary school official visit by Premier: 5 April 2019
Infrastructure – R350 000.00
Stakeholders catering – R25 500.00
Community catering – R224 250.00
Advertising – R385 567.68
5. Margate middle school official opening: 11 April 2019
Infrastructure – R310 000.00
Stakeholders catering – R21 250.00
Community catering – R162 500.00
Advertising – R521 125.37
6. Daniel Mzamo special school official opening: 16 April 019
Infrastructure – R288 000.00
Stakeholders catering – R18 500.00
Community catering – R162 500.00
Advertising – R347 750.37
7. St Victor S School official opening: 25 April 2019
Infrastructure – R253 100.00
Stakeholders catering – R18 750.00
Community catering – R137 500.00
Advertising – R236 512.37
8. MEC and Isilo Principals engagement: 29 April 2019
Venue – R25 000.00
Hiring of toilets and tables – R17 250.00
Catering for Royalty – R28 750.00
Advertising – R721 906.55
9. Ngono secondary school official opening: 2 May 2019
Infrastructure – R310 000.00
Stakeholders catering – R23 250.00
Community catering – R224 000.00
Advertising – R281 305.00
10. Inkosi Ntulakabakayise Secondary school official opening: 6 May 2019
Infrastructure – R190 225.00
Stakeholders catering – R15 000.00
Community catering – R97 500.00
Advertising – R281 305
The totals provided by the department are that;
Infrastructure for the events amounted combined to R2 412 975.00
Stakeholders catering combined amounted to R195 350.00
Community catering combined amounted to R1 395 250.00
Advertising the events combined amounted to R4 238 009.59
The total spending for all the events combined amounted to R8 241 584.59
These events, compared to the same spending in 2018 for similar engagements, the total spending for 2018 is R1 129 400.00
The IFP regards this as a rip-off by the ANC government of the resources of the people of KwaZulu Natal. This happens at a time when the department is unable to provide proper sanitation for thousands of schools in the province; when the department is unable to employ educators for schools that can hardly cope with the teaching and learning conditions; when the department is unable to provide proper classrooms, laboratories and libraries in schools; when Grade R practitioners are paid peanuts by the department.
The IFP is calling upon the Premier and the new MEC to take this matter to the SIU for further investigation. The IFP will also be consulting the office of the Public Protector on this matter.
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Contact:
Hon Mntomuhle B Khawula, MPL
071 207 9445
