DURBAN - EDUCATION MEC Kwazi Mshengu could be in hot water for apparently misleading parliament on the extent of the cost and damages to schools after last month’s unrest in the province.
This emerged during a two-day, in-loco inspection by Education’s Parliamentary portfolio committee on schools in Pietermaritzburg and eThekwini on Wednesday. The MPs did not mince their words in expressing their unhappiness on the extent of the cost and damage which was presented to them in comparison to what they observed.
The chairperson of the committee, Bongiwe Binqo-Gigaba, who led the team of MPs to schools in uMlazi, said they believed the province exaggerated the extent of damage to schools.
She said the committee visited the province with the understanding that most of the schools were burned down but that was not the case. She claimed there could be a misrepresentation of facts.
“We don’t want to believe that we were misled, but our observation thus far is not what we were told by the provincial officials during their presentation.
“What we observed is some schools added historical damages which may have happened before last the unrest,” Binqo-Gigaba said.
In the nine schools the committee visited, they noted vandalism which may have been caused when people tried to break in to steal food, computers and other items.
In a Pietermaritzburg school, the administration block and five classrooms were destroyed by fire. Most of the schools were vandalised, not destroyed, as we were led to believe, she said.
Furthermore, she said, when the province made its presentation, it calculated costs at R81 million but the committee estimates were still below R1m. Binqo-Gigaba said they would still consolidate reports from other groups of MPs that visited other parts of the province.
Out of 35 schools that were affected in uMlazi, she said, the committee discovered that Vukuzakhe High School included damages that happened previously.
Committee member Ronnie Moroatshehla warned Education officials that those making a presentation in Parliament were under oath, so lying to MPs was not acceptable.
He said the damage seemed to have been exaggerated.
“The authorisation of the committee to go around the country comes with expenses. We were sent to verify whether what the provincial officials presented to us was a true reflection of what happened.
“We are hoping that when we sit down and analyse the damage and cost thereof, our conclusion will be the same as that what was given to us during the presentation,” said Moroatshehla.
Initially, the province had said 139 schools were affected but on Wednesday the number was put at 144.
KZN Department of Education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa did not comment on the portfolio committee inspections.
Daily News