Mpumalanga Education Dept criticised for returning R623m amid infrastructure backlog

The National Association of School Governing Bodies is criticising the Mpumalanga department of education’s return of budgeted funds to the Treasury. It said the department returned R623 million to the Treasury while the province has an infrastructure development backlog.

In the 2022-2023 financial year, R311 million was returned to the Treasury, while in the 2023- 2024 financial year, the unspent budget amounted to R312 million, it said.

The association’s general secretary Matakanye Matakanye Dept under fire for ‘returning funds’ said: “We call upon the department to provide school services instead of underspending or returning money to the treasurer. If it happens again the premier must act against the department.”

A few weeks ago, the South African Human Rights Commission called on the department to facilitate the eradication of pit latrines and bucket systems in the province’s schools. During the stakeholder engagement session in Emalahleni, department representatives reportedly revealed that there were over 70 schools that did not have proper toilets in the province.

Later the department disputed that, saying only three schools solely used pit latrine. The department has also been criticised by organisations representing disabled people for failing to build a school for disabled pupils promised 13 years ago.

The DA in Mpumalanga released a statement this week lambasting the department for returning money to the treasury, while it was struggling to complete Mkhondo Boarding School and rebuild Sidlamafa Secondary School in Nkomazi.

Mpumalanga Education Dept: No 2023-24 budget underspending

Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Gerald Sambo said the allegations were not true. “The department spent 100% of its 2023-24 allocated infrastructure budget,” he said.

“The department did not surrender any unspent funds to the treasury nor underspent in any of its infrastructure programmes in the previous financial year. It is only in the 2022-23 financial year that R311 million was withheld due to perceived underspending.

“However, in the same financial year the department spent all its allocation and had to supplement it through the equitable share. The reasons were explained by the department then. Subsequently, in the 2023-24 financial year, it spent 100% of its allocated budget.”

Sambo said the Treasury instituted a budget cut of R312 million in the 2023-24 financial year when infrastructure projects were at implementation level.

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