Several companies sub-contracted to distribute textbooks to more than 5200 Eastern Cape schools have threatened to stop delivery after three months with no payment.
They were promised payment within 10 days of submitting proof of delivery (POD) but have so far received nothing.
The companies were sub-contracted by distribution consortium Edu Solutions and Simo Solutions, which formed a joint venture when appointed by the Publishers Association of South Africa (Pasa) to manage warehouses and distribute learner teacher support material (LTSM).
The education department has bought all LTSM and other teaching material from Pasa.
Company representatives said their contracts showed that if they delivered in a specific timeframe they would be be paid 90% of the invoice. After that the figure would decrease according to the number of additional days taken to deliver.
Correspondence between Simo Solutions manager Zakhe Madala and the 23 companies confirms the payment delays.
“We are doing everything to overcome this challenge and are confident that it will be resolved soon,” Madala wrote.
He said 75% of all PODs had been submitted to the education department for payment.
“Payments to publishers have started coming through from education and these publishers should be making payments to us shortly. We have also proposed to Pasa that publishers should pay the distribution fees once invoices are submitted to the department irrespective of whether they have been paid,” Madala said..
“Most Pasa members have committed to pay by next week.”
Yesterday, he assured the companies that payments would be completed by today.
“We loaded payments into our system last night .”
He still expects all textbooks to be delivered by next week when schools close.
“We will know for sure afterwards if there are any who have not received textbooks.”
Education acting head Ray Tywakadi said the distributors were contracted to the consortium and not to the department.
“We pay Pasa on proof of delivery, and all those submitted to us have been paid,” Tywakadi said.
Edu Solutions founder Mateli Mpuntsha said: “The delays were not in our control as the orders were received late by us.”
Pasa’s Warren Kliphuis could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
Edu Solutions is not new to controversy as the company was previously accused of bungling textbook delivery in Limpopo in 2012.
Earlier, in December 2010, it was paid about R19-million in “management fees”. This was in direct contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
When the company was paid, it had not delivered a single consignment of text books.
It signed a contract with the Limpopo department of education on October 18 2012 and the contract was terminated later the same year.
Textbook transport firms up in arms
They were promised payment within 10 days of submitting proof of delivery (POD) but have so far received nothing.
The companies were sub-contracted by distribution consortium Edu Solutions and Simo Solutions, which formed a joint venture when appointed by the Publishers Association of South Africa (Pasa) to manage warehouses and distribute learner teacher support material (LTSM).
The education department has bought all LTSM and other teaching material from Pasa.
Company representatives said their contracts showed that if they delivered in a specific timeframe they would be be paid 90% of the invoice. After that the figure would decrease according to the number of additional days taken to deliver.
Correspondence between Simo Solutions manager Zakhe Madala and the 23 companies confirms the payment delays.
“We are doing everything to overcome this challenge and are confident that it will be resolved soon,” Madala wrote.
He said 75% of all PODs had been submitted to the education department for payment.
“Payments to publishers have started coming through from education and these publishers should be making payments to us shortly. We have also proposed to Pasa that publishers should pay the distribution fees once invoices are submitted to the department irrespective of whether they have been paid,” Madala said..
“Most Pasa members have committed to pay by next week.”
Yesterday, he assured the companies that payments would be completed by today.
“We loaded payments into our system last night .”
He still expects all textbooks to be delivered by next week when schools close.
“We will know for sure afterwards if there are any who have not received textbooks.”
Education acting head Ray Tywakadi said the distributors were contracted to the consortium and not to the department.
“We pay Pasa on proof of delivery, and all those submitted to us have been paid,” Tywakadi said.
Edu Solutions founder Mateli Mpuntsha said: “The delays were not in our control as the orders were received late by us.”
Pasa’s Warren Kliphuis could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
Edu Solutions is not new to controversy as the company was previously accused of bungling textbook delivery in Limpopo in 2012.
Earlier, in December 2010, it was paid about R19-million in “management fees”. This was in direct contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
When the company was paid, it had not delivered a single consignment of text books.
It signed a contract with the Limpopo department of education on October 18 2012 and the contract was terminated later the same year.
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