Why is Gauteng Education MEC Hiding Glenvista High Forensic Audit Report?

Corruption & Maladministration – Glenvista High School

The DA has today filed an application in terms of the Public Access to Information Act (PAIA) and submitted written questions to Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, to access the KPMG Forensic Audit report into corruption and maladministration at Glenvista High school.

The MEC has been privy to the outcome of this report for over two months, but as with other reports, he is yet to make its findings and recommendations public. This comes despite the MEC’s claims that the cause of the delay was due to him reading the report but that it would be released when schools reopened for the third term.

MEC Fails to Act

The DA has in the past questioned the MEC why he institutes investigations but fails to act on the findings.

The MEC needs to act and build the confidence of whistle-blowers who serve as watchdogs by exposing corruption and fraud in our schools.

The DA challenges MEC Lesufi to release the report, to take action against those found guilty, and to stop siding with wrong-doers.

By doing so, he would send the message the fairness and transparency will prevail, that perpetrators will be brought to book while protecting whistle-blowers.

Transparency and Accountability

The DA has also submitted written questions to Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi Malobane to establish whether cases had been opened, whether perpetrators were reported to the authorities, and what the case numbers are.

The main function of school leadership and management is to ensure that resources are properly managed to the benefit of learners in the province.

The question is now whether MEC Lesufi is prepared to live up to the principles of transparency and accountability.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education

082 398 7375

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Gauteng MEC Concedes ICT Tender Awards were Rotten to the Core

Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy all but conceded that her department improperly awarded tenders for 3G connectivity in the province, and that large numbers of staff were involved.Ashor Sarupen DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Finance

3G Connectivity in Gauteng Schools

 

In response to my question in the Gauteng Legislature regarding irregularities into the awarding of a tender for 3G connectivity to Cloudseed (Pty) Ltd, the MEC said that six officials have been disciplined for financial misconduct as a result of findings of the Auditor-General’s investigation into the matter.

The tender to provide tablets and 3G connectivity to schools was given to Cloudseed, despite the fact that it failed to roll out the Gauteng Online project to provide computer labs to school.

The project was frequently ridiculed as “Gauteng Offline” as a result.

Cloudseed (Pty) Ltd. gets Gauteng Offline

When asked why Cloudseed was not flagged for poor performance after Gauteng Online, MEC Creecy pushed the blame onto the former Head of Department, Mr Stuart Lumka, in an attempt to avoid taking responsibility.

This while Cloudseed continued to get large contracts amounting to hundreds of millions of rand, and that its staff members were appointed by the ANC government.

I have already lodged an application in terms of the Public Access to Information Act (PAIA) for full disclosure of all tender documents and the investigation report into this tender and lay bare the extent of the rot in contracts awarded for ICT.Gauteng E-Tender Portal

 

Media enquiries:

Ashor Sarupen

DA Gauteng Spokesperson for ICT

060 558 8303

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