KZN school food setback: ANC orders Dube-Ncube to step in

With supply challenges within KZN Education Department’s school nutrition programmes denting the image of the ANC ahead of next year’s polls, party bosses have instructed premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube to act.

This as pupils in some of the province’s schools have since last week been attending classes on empty stomachs after food supplies were stopped, for reasons yet to be outlined by Education MEC Mbali Frazer.

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Both Frazer and Dube-Ncube have been accused of not communicating with the public on the problems around the food supply glitches.

However, ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said the party has now instructed both Dube-Ncube and Frazer to communicate with the public and opposition parties on the food supply matter.

“The premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, is directed to ensure that all leaders of political parties are properly briefed about the interventions.

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The date and time for this briefing will be announced after the premier’s consultation with the speaker of the Legislature Nontembeko Boyce and the MEC. She has been directed to write a letter to the speaker in this regard.
“The ANC has directed the premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, to demand a detailed report from the MEC.

“The MEC must incorporate proposed solutions into the budget vote for the Department of Education in the Provincial Legislature on Thursday, 20 April,” Mtolo said.

Since last week, Mtolo said, the ANC leadership had been inundated with complaints from parents, school governing bodies and members of the public, all of whom had raised concerns about the food supply issues at the province’s schools.

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We have understood all concerns raised by stakeholders as a genuine desire to be part of efforts to find long lasting solutions for the benefit of pupils and the province as a whole.As the ANC, we wish to extend our sincere apology to the learners, parents, stakeholders and all the people of KwaZulu-Natal.