After a nine month investigation, the provincial Department of Education has suspended eight high ranking
officials this week who have been implicated in a number of irregularities.
After a nine month investigation, the provincial Department of Education has suspended eight high ranking
officials this week who have been implicated in a number of irregularities.
The list of those accused for corrupt practices includes: Khayalethu Ngaso, Chief Director of Vocational Education Services; Zamayedwa Tom, Chief Director of Facilities and Infrastructure Management; Mtunase Kali, Director of Internal Audit; Nompumelelo Nate, Director of Inclusive Education; Chwayita Zituta, Director of Further Education and Training Colleges and Abet Centres; Sarel Baatjies, Deputy Director of Finance; Noxolo Tokwana, Deputy Director of Finance (Bizana District); and Noncendo Mamase, Senior Administration Officer of Supply Chain Management.
Following a spate of allegations of corrupt activities, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) made enquiries at the end of last year and earlier this year.
Included in the investigation was a lifestyle audit where officials who led lavish lifestyles were questioned and further inspected by the SIU.
The Democratic Alliance’s provincial spokesperson for education, Edmund van Vuuren said that he had also heard that a ninth official had also been suspended for under-performing.
He stated that the DA is “extremely happy with the result” and that they want “extensive internal disciplinary action against [the]officials involved”.
“It is a step in the right direction; actions were taken in the past, but now there is just a lack of information.
We sincerely hope that this is not the end,” said Van Vuuren. United Democratic Movement MPL Maxwell Mhlathi welcomed the department’s action.
He said: “We support the action taken by the department. Prof Nengwenkulu told the standing committee on public accounts that corruption in the Education Department is like nothing he has ever seen before.
We applaud this action.” He said: “Education and Health consume 75% of the provincial budget. If only we can fix the corruption in these departments we could see a lot of improvement.
We are looking forward to more suspensions next week.” The Eastern Cape Department of Education is the first provincial department to suspend officials accused of corruption under Premier Noxolo Kiviet’s administration.
During her first State of the Province address, Kiviet promised to uproot corruption within the Education departments.
