LIMPOPO – The department recently said spending on the Vuwani debacle has left the ailing department with little left in terms of funds and budgets.
Officials from the department complained to the National Council of Provinces last week, pleading to take their plight to parliament.
“We have single-handedly spent millions to bring back the culture of learning and teaching to Vuwani,” said Chief Director for District Coordination, Dion Letshedi, during a briefing session.
“We pleaded with government for a financial injection but they have not answered our pleas,” the department told the NCOP during a briefing at the Lepelle Northern Water in Polokwane on Friday.
“Government instructed Limpopo to foot the bill for the Vuwani situation,” Letshedi said; adding the exercise affected the function of other divisions within the department.
According to a report from the MEC of Education, Ishmael Kgetjepe’s department to the NCOP, a large amount was transferred from an infrastructural grant to buy furniture, text books, renovation supplies and pay for special camps for Gr 12 learners.
“This affected the running of certain infrastructure projects,” revealed Letshedi.
Departmental Spokesperson, Ngaledzani Rasila echoed Letshedi’s plea saying a total of 77 mobile classrooms were supplied to schools in Vuwani.
He said the department has since spent over R40 million on mobile classrooms and the funds were sourced from the R800 million budget from the departmental infrastructure grant.
“‘For the department to become a well-oiled machine again, we will need an additional R400 million to give the affected schools an exuberant face lift,” he continued.
Rasila added, “although progress for the construction of two state-of-the-art schools, Khubvi Primary and Morebeng Secondary was not affected, the department’s funds were depleted at a very fast pace”.
NCOP Chairperson for the Select Committee on Education and Recreation, Lynette Zwane, agreed urgent intervention was needed for effective learning and teaching to be restored in Vuwani.
“We will take your plight to the department and the minister in charge and we hope, for the sake of the future of children from Vuwani, the affected departments come to your rescue.
“We urge businesses and non-governmental organisations to lend a helping hand.
“Government alone cannot reverse the destruction caused by the riots,” Zwane said.
