Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet has promised that schools around the province will receive stationery "in the next two weeks", and that the School Nutrition Programme (SNP) and the Scholar Transport System will be reinstated "soonest".
Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet has promised that schools around the province will receive stationery "in the next two weeks", and that the School Nutrition Programme (SNP) and the Scholar Transport System will be reinstated "soonest".
Kiviet was addressing the media ahead of her State of the Province Address in Bisho on Friday last week. Kiviet said the problems which led to the non-delivery of stationery to schools was caused by the "legal wrangling between the department (Education) and suppliers".
She said most of the suppliers who had submitted their tender documents did not have tax clearance certificates and some were discovered to have been forged. "The department sought legal help and while that was still going on, time ran out," Kiviet said.
Regarding the School Nutrition Programme which has been marred by controversy for years Kiviet said schools will have to take the responsibility for feeding their pupils so that the department can curb corruption, as the procurement processes were open to abuse.
She said businesses which were given SNP contracts often gave false figures to the department. Kiviet also criticized some parents whose children use the Scholar Transport System for taking their children to schools that are far from where they live.
According to Kiviet this was one of the factors which led to the department "grossly overspending" on the project. She said the transport system was only meant for children whose closest school is more than 5kms from where they live. Those parents who take their children to schools that are far from where they live even though there are schools in their areas, should pay for their children's bus fare.
"We have ended up paying for the choice of the parent in most cases. In farm schools we will do our best to ensure that transport is delivered soonest," said Kiviet. She also launched a scathing attack on government officials who are under-performing saying that some (managers and directors) "will make sure you (MEC) drown".
Kiviet said there will be no bonuses for management if "their books are not in order". "We can't pay bonuses to people who continue to frustrate us. Everyone is working hard to ensure that they get their bonuses now. Their book keeping needs to be in order," she said.
Kiviet also revealed that the Special Investigating Unit is working full-time in the Department of Education to curb corruption. "This is about people who waste a lot of their time looking at how they can manipulate the system. We want to get rid of those who are hell bent on destroying us," she said.
The ruling party and opposition parties will give their feedback on the SOPA during the plenary session at the Provincial Legislature this afternoon.
