‘Somebody must account’ - Gauteng legislature angry at R400m spent on decontaminating schools
The committee on education in the Gauteng legislature wants heads to roll after some R431 million was spent on deep cleaning and decontaminating schools.
A Maverick Citizen investigation revealed that between June and August 2020, the Gauteng Department of Education spent more than R431 million on sanitising schools.
The amount was subsequently confirmed in a report compiled by the department’s HOD and CFO.
Maverick Citizen also reported that the money was paid in sundry payments to hundreds of companies, many of which appear to have no expertise or prior involvement in the cleaning industry.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi expressed shock at the amount spent by his department.
The committee’s chairperson Matome Chiloane has now called on law enforcement agencies to find and arrest the guilty parties.
Chiloane says there needs to be an investigation into the appointed companies.
“The allegations are very serious in nature and no stone should be left unturned. Hence we also call upon an independent investigations agencies such as SIU to look thoroughly into the matter.”
"We are looking for swift action from the MEC. Somebody's head must roll, somebody must account for what is happening here."
