Learners in Limpopo were left without food after delivery trucks were hijacked. Picture: Picture: Henk Kruger/Independent Newspapers
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga says a service provider failed to deliver food for the school-feeding scheme in Limpopo, and this left hundreds of learners without food for two weeks.
Motshekga said the director of a company that is supplying food to schools in one region in Limpopo said his trucks were hijacked and he could not deliver food to the learners.
There were 27 schools that were affected by the non-delivery of food by the service provider.
However, Motshekga said the incident happened in October.
In most cases the issue has been resolved.
“During the first week of October 2023, the circuit reported non-delivery of foodstuff to the district office. The service provider was immediately contacted about the situation, which led to non-feeding. The service provider informed the district about the circumstance which led to non-delivery, amongst others were the allegations that his delivery trucks were hijacked on the way to schools full of foodstuff,” said Motshekga.
“The breach of the service level agreement was addressed with the director of the company; and in the second week after five days of non-delivery, food-stuff was delivered to schools.
“Currently, there is a provision of foodstuff. The department of basic education has confirmed with school principals. At Fawcett Mathebe Secondary, there has reportedly never been non-feeding since April 2023; Thabakhubedu experienced non-feeding for two weeks; however, feeding has resumed since Monday, 6 November; at Mothibedi, non-feeding for two weeks has been resolved, as feeding resumed on 6 November,” said Motshekga, who was replying to a written parliamentary question from EFF MP Lorato Tito.
In another reply Motshekga denied that schools in KwaZulu-Natal sent letters to parents that exams would not take place until her department paid outstanding monies to schools for norms and standards.
She said the schools, which sent notices to parents, did this based on a notice of a planned protest action by a union.
However, the schools did not send a notice to parents that exams would be halted.
The schools were sending a message that teachers would not be available due to the planned protest action by a union.
Motshekga said the differences with the union were resolved and the exams continued in schools.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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