The Department of Basic Education has finally paid some R29-million it owed to 32 Eastern Cape schools – but not before national education bosses’ luxury cars were attached.
Apart from the cars of Minister Angie Motshekga and her directory-general (DG), the Pretoria North East sheriff also inventoried some 800 computers, worth an estimated R900000, and several other state vehicles collectively worth some R2.87-million from the department’s Sol Plaatjie House headquarters in Pretoria for attachment.
However, earlier this week, the department sent proof of payment of the full amount to all schools to their lawyer, Sarah Sephton, at the Legal Resources Centre.
The attached goods will therefore not be auctioned.
Many East London schools benefited from the massive payout.
Selborne Primary and High schools were together refunded some R3-million. Stirling and Hudson High schools were finally refunded more than R3-million each, while Clarendon received more than R1.5-million.
Stirling Primary was refunded more than R2-million. Toise Senior Secondary, in King William’s Town and George Dickerson, in Grahamstown were reimbursed R6000 and R80000 respectively.
Selborne Primary principal Doug Voke said they were happy the department has finally paid. However, the money had reportedly been paid into another account.
“The school lawyers are still working towards resolving the matter, but we trust the money will be returned.”
The issuing of a writ of execution to seize and auction off R29.7-million worth of the national and provincial education departments’ assets follows the provincial department’s failure to heed a Grahamstown High Court order it agreed to in March in terms of which it was to reimburse the 32 schools.
The schools had paid the salaries to dozens of teachers out of their own school funds for months.
The minister was cited as a respondent in all court applications because of her department’s section 100 intervention in provincial education.
In terms of the court order, which also applied to the minister and her DG, the department had agreed to refund the schools by the end of August and permanently appoint some 145 teachers to vacant positions at the schools.
Acting superintendent-general Ray Tywakadi yesterday said: “The schools placated us on two issues – the absorption of those teachers that were appointed against substantive vacant posts and the payment and reimbursement of school governing bodies.
Sephton said while it was a relief for the schools to be refunded, the department remained in contempt of another part of the court order requiring it to permanently appoint and pay 145 teachers at the schools.
She said an application to rule the minister and her provincial counterpart Mandla Makupula and their respective directors-general in contempt of court, would be heard on October 30.
The department faces the problem of a further 90 schools claiming the department must refund them more than R90-million they have paid out in teacher salaries and needs to permanently appoint hundreds of teachers.
Dept pays R29m to schools
Apart from the cars of Minister Angie Motshekga and her directory-general (DG), the Pretoria North East sheriff also inventoried some 800 computers, worth an estimated R900000, and several other state vehicles collectively worth some R2.87-million from the department’s Sol Plaatjie House headquarters in Pretoria for attachment.
However, earlier this week, the department sent proof of payment of the full amount to all schools to their lawyer, Sarah Sephton, at the Legal Resources Centre.
The attached goods will therefore not be auctioned.
Many East London schools benefited from the massive payout.
Selborne Primary and High schools were together refunded some R3-million. Stirling and Hudson High schools were finally refunded more than R3-million each, while Clarendon received more than R1.5-million.
Stirling Primary was refunded more than R2-million. Toise Senior Secondary, in King William’s Town and George Dickerson, in Grahamstown were reimbursed R6000 and R80000 respectively.
Selborne Primary principal Doug Voke said they were happy the department has finally paid. However, the money had reportedly been paid into another account.
“The school lawyers are still working towards resolving the matter, but we trust the money will be returned.”
The issuing of a writ of execution to seize and auction off R29.7-million worth of the national and provincial education departments’ assets follows the provincial department’s failure to heed a Grahamstown High Court order it agreed to in March in terms of which it was to reimburse the 32 schools.
The schools had paid the salaries to dozens of teachers out of their own school funds for months.
The minister was cited as a respondent in all court applications because of her department’s section 100 intervention in provincial education.
In terms of the court order, which also applied to the minister and her DG, the department had agreed to refund the schools by the end of August and permanently appoint some 145 teachers to vacant positions at the schools.
Acting superintendent-general Ray Tywakadi yesterday said: “The schools placated us on two issues – the absorption of those teachers that were appointed against substantive vacant posts and the payment and reimbursement of school governing bodies.
Sephton said while it was a relief for the schools to be refunded, the department remained in contempt of another part of the court order requiring it to permanently appoint and pay 145 teachers at the schools.
She said an application to rule the minister and her provincial counterpart Mandla Makupula and their respective directors-general in contempt of court, would be heard on October 30.
The department faces the problem of a further 90 schools claiming the department must refund them more than R90-million they have paid out in teacher salaries and needs to permanently appoint hundreds of teachers.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos