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The Department of Basic Education seeks to recover R5.2 million from the Eastern Cape Department of Public Works, which they allege was “misappropriated” from the school infrastructure backlog grant.
In reply to parliamentary questions from Build One South Africa, Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the money allegedly went missing during the implementation of infrastructure projects in the Eastern Cape under the management of the Department of Public Works.
She said the national department also conducted an internal audit, which recommended recovering the money from the Eastern Cape government entity.
Minister Gwarube said that the provincial department of public works conducted its probe through an audit firm, after which the matter was reported to the Hawks for investigation.
Gwarube said her department remains committed to upholding accountability and transparency in using infrastructure funding.
Meanwhile, BOSA said this was not simply financial mismanagement, but theft, with the victims being the schoolchildren who are still learning in crumbling classrooms, using pit toilets, or forced to learn under trees.
National spokesperson Roger Solomons said the Eastern Cape routinely ranks last in national education performance indicators. It has one of the lowest matric pass rates, dire dropout levels, and infrastructure that fails even the most basic standards.
“For a province in such crisis, every cent counts and must be used to improve standards and conditions,” he said.
Solomons said while internal investigations have been conducted and the matter has been reported to the Hawks, no one has been held accountable. The case has not yet proceeded to trial.
