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GDE HOD is shielding Gauteng City Region Academy CEO’s fraud, and maladministration while learners suffer without much-needed resources

Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA) learners continue to suffer without much-needed learning resources, yet the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) Head of Department (HOD), Edward Mosuwe is shielding its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is implicated in maladministration, corruption and fraud as identified by the Auditor General(AG).

It is unacceptable that GCRA is failing to provide necessary support to young people like learnerships, bursaries and apprenticeships because of a corrupt official.

There were several allegations against the CEO, and they were substantiated as facts.

This includes amongst others, appointment of Mr Y, centralising budget functions from line managers to the CEO’s office, appointing companies which claimed to have developed bursary, learnership, apprenticeship policies while the auditor general couldn’t find existence of such policies.

While there are three companies which claimed to have developed such policies and have been paid for the services rendered.

The recommendations were made by the AG that the department’s HOD should open a criminal case against all officials involved in this corruption scandal and inform the Treasury, AG and the department’s MEC.

Instead of implementing such straightforward recommendations, the HOD opted to appoint a law firm to look at the matter. This is delaying tactic costing department more money instead of actioning AG’s recommendations.

The DA has written to the Gauteng Department of Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, demanding that he must urgently take action against the HOD for failing to implement the Auditor General’s recommendations.

It is unacceptable that the accounting officer is playing delaying tactics to avoid taking actions against the wrongdoers.

Certain actions should have been taken such as opening criminal cases, and even suspending the CEO.

The DA has noted that the department is appointing a law firm to consider the evidence and advise on the appropriate course of action that the department should take. However, there are recommendations to be implemented.

The DA will continue to fight to ensure that the AG’s recommendations are implemented by the HOD. It is high time that MEC Chiloane instil confidence to the people of Gauteng that he does not tolerate maladministration, corruption, and fraud under his watch.

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DA Gauteng debates Motion on Virtual Spatial Mapping

The following speeches were delivered in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature today by DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport, Fred Nel MPL and DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Petitions, Lebo More MPL, during a debate on introducing spatial mapping models for Gauteng City Region programmes.

Speech by

Fred Nel MPL

“Gauteng’s current spatial planning initiatives built on sand”

• In a fast-developing province like Gauteng we need every planning tool we can get to ensure the proper development of Africa’s economic powerhouse. The motion refers to the challenge that apartheid spatial planning and development has left us with today and the DA is equally committed to eradicate this legacy;
• We need to get low-income workers closer to their jobs so that they can spend less on transport and spend more time with their families;
• Gauteng needs to prioritise its economic focus. The world around us is changing and we need to make an honest assessment as to whether Gauteng is future proof with regards to its planned economic development; and
• It is time for the Gauteng Government to modernize, we need to become a truly smart province that utilises technology as an indispensable partner in our socio-economic and spatial development initiatives.

The full speech can be obtained here.

Speech by

Lebo More MPL

“Virtual mapping of the province should be conducted inclusively”

• The Gauteng City Region Observatory collects and stores useful data, conducts surveys, develops new data sources and GIS mapping and analysis. Data is then converted into innovative products, which must include virtual modelling for a modernised government;
• Why do we want to decide what is to happen, with regards to spatial planning, without the inputs of those that we say we represent? and
• The Gauteng City Region includes all municipalities in the province, it is therefore imperative that the Provincial government works together with all local government structures in order to effect meaningful change which will see lower-income households and small businesses in the province succeed.

The full speech can be obtained here.

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West Rand Metro: Premier Makes An About-Turn On Merger

Gauteng Premier David Makhura today made an about-turn on his previous position of the viability of a West Rand metro – instead singing the praises of the formation of a city region.

During question time in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature today, the premier chose to toe the ANC line by claiming that the formation of a West Rand metro would be to the benefit of the people, and that it would be another step closer to the Gauteng City Region.

However, reality dictates otherwise, as one cannot expect one healthy and three lame horses to pull a cart as effectively as four healthy horses.

The fact is that one cannot fix poor performing municipalities by merging them into larger metropolitan areas without building the professional capacity of officials.

Instead of pushing for the establishment of a metro, the provincial government and district municipality should use the mandate of the Constitution and municipal legislation to assist municipalities where necessary – and improve service delivery and people’s quality of life.

Furthermore, the premier completely ignored the R1,5 billion outstanding debt burden and massive infrastructure decline in the four local municipalities, nor could he provide any guarantees over who foot the bill of streamlining and coordinating systems once the merge has been completed.

The Premier should have told the people of the West Rand that his government would first address poor accountability, lack of administration and poor financial management in the four municipalities.

The DA will continue with our efforts to ensure that service delivery and quality of life take precedence over poorly conceived ideas.

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308