THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has come under-fire for procuring Covid-19 supplies at “massively inflated prices”.
In total, the department spent R422 million on personal protective gear for Grades 7 and 12.
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This includes the procurement of 1 982 944 cloth masks at R25 each.
Dr Imran Keeka, member of Provincial Legislature and the Democratic Alliance spokesperson on Education, said there was no excuse for buying masks at twice the price when they are available for R10 each on the open market.
“(KZN education) officials also told us there were a set number of companies who can only supply the DOE and who were vetted by the department of health,” said Keeka.
“They went further to tell us that procurement from companies was based on the Bell Pottinger farce of Radical Economic Transformation.”
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“The KZN DOE also purchased 18 200 thermometers at a cost of R2527,20 each. The most expensive no-hands, digital medic infrared thermometer we could find was at Dischem, which cost R1000 each,” he said.
“It is extremely concerning that after paying such exorbitant prices, thermometers at several schools we visited last week could not be used because the department did not supply batteries,” said Keeka.
Berea Mail called and sent questions to department spokespersons but they had not replied by time of print.
Unlike most government websites, the KZN education department does not update the details on its tender tab. Berea Mail has written to KZN education’s communications department highlighting this.
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On Tuesday morning, MEC for Education Kwazi Mshengu announced with shock that large quantities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) heading for schools in uMlazi, Pinetown and Zululand districts had disappeared enroute.
“The replacement of these PPE’s will cost the department millions of Rands, the money of which the department does not have,” he said. “The disappearance of these PPE’s makes the preparations for the re-opening (of) schools an elusive goal.”
Keeka said he suspected criminal elements in the disappearance of PPE’s and called for a thorough police investigation.
He said he was not surprised that KZN education could not afford to replace the PPE after overspending so much on it.
Schools are set to open on 8 June.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
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