Building operations have once again ceased at Lingcom Primary and Asherville Secondary schools in Graaff-Reinet after the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education defaulted on payments to service providers.
This is a trend that we have seen since the commencement of these projects more than three years ago. These projects should have been completed by now. Instead the projects drag on and have cost the Education Department around R20 million in unforeseen expenditure. Financial mismanagement has impacted the ability of the contractor to complete the job timeously.
This inability of government to meet its commitments is putting learners in harm’s way during the Covid-19 pandemic, as they are forced into small temporary classrooms where social distancing is a near impossibility. A lack of suitable ablutions also make it almost impossible for children to wash their hands as often as necessary.
Over the weekend the Education Department also confirmed in the media that due to a lack of funds its school building programme will come to an almost complete halt. This leaves no hope that the Lingcom and Asherville projects will be completed in the near future.
DA Eastern Cape Shadow MEC for Public Works, Vicky Knoetze, MPL, has now submitted questions to the EC MEC for Public Works regarding this issue and is awaiting a response.
In the interim, DA Eastern Cape Shadow MEC for Education, Yusuf Cassim, MPL, has submitted a proposal to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education to embark on a full investigation into the infrastructure programme at both schools, with specific focus on the possible mismanagement thereof. This proposal has been adopted by the committee.
I have been privy to an email from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure that identifies only 10 schools in the Eastern Cape earmarked for completion in this financial year. Neither Lingcom nor Asherville are amongst them.
In the meantime, however, local businesses are failing to keep afloat due to the tardiness of government in making long-outstanding payments.
The Democratic Alliance will continue to hold this government to account for its failures to act in the best interests of the children of this province. Our children deserve better