Enquiries about EduSolutions and the President
08 July 2012
The Presidency has noted reports by some sections of the media relating to the company EduSolutions and its role in the procurement of textbooks in Limpopo (see M&G here and City Press here).
There have also been unfortunate and baseless attempts to link the company's reported donations to the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust to the textbook tender.
We wish to clarify as follows;
When Section 100 (1)(b) of the Constitution of South Africa was invoked on the 5th of December 2011, EduSolutions like all other procurement activities in the Limpopo Department of Education became a subject of the investigation by the National Treasury and other law enforcement agencies. In the meantime the means to procure and deliver Learning, Teaching and Support Materials was through EduSolutions based on the existing contract with the Limpopo Department of Education.
The Minister sought legal opinion on the contract. The opinion suggested an invalidation of the contract. This happened at the same time that Edusolutions was under investigation by government's Anti-Corruption Task team located in the National Treasury.
The contract was then terminated. New means to procure and deliver LTSM had to be sought.
Many companies donate to charitable organisations in South Africa including the President's education trust. Donors do not have any preferential treatment with regards to government tenders or any other state business. Neither are they exempt from any investigation if state agencies believe there is a need, simply because they are donors to a charity linked to the President. They are treated like any other company by government departments. At the same time, it does not mean such companies are automatically guilty of any wrongdoing, also by virtue of being donors to a charity linked to the President.
The investigation of EduSolution is best placed at the hands of State Investigation units that specialize in this task. The President has full confidence in these agencies and they should be given the space to do their work.
Statement issued by Mac Maharaj, The Presidency, July 8 2012
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