RE: SACP CONCERNED ABOUT ATTACHMENT OF CARS AND APPOINTMENT OF PRIVATE COMPANY TO TRAIN TEACHERS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN KWAZULU-NATAL

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Moses Mabhida Province (KZN) has raised serious concerns about two issues that have recently taken place within the Provincial Department of Education.

The first include the attachment of 700 cars allocated to the department of education apparently because the department failed to pay R36 million worth of bursaries for some 1000 students who were registered with the Sants Higher Education Institution.

SACP Provincial Secretary Themba Mthembu appealed to the management of Sants to pursue a different route to settle the matter with the department.

"Attaching the cars that have been allocated to the department is tantamount to sabotaging education in the province by depriving learners and teachers of the much needed tools to do their job," Mthembu.

He added that the SACP is appalled at the conduct of the Sants Higher Education Institution which has put the profits before the education of our children.

"The cars are not departmental assets but they are state assets allocated to the department. This company should be blacklisted because of its insensitivity. The ANC and the alliance have identified education as an apex priority but this company is working to sabotage what this administration is trying so hard to improve," he said.

The second issue that has attracted the wrath of the Party is the appointment of private company to train teachers in KwaZulu-Natal. Mthembu called for an independent investigation in the appointment of this company adding that all those involved should face immediate suspension.

"We are shocked that the department can appoint an independent company to train teachers, at a cost of millions of rands, when capacity to do that could have been sourced within the state machinery," said Mthembu.

He called for the intervention of the Department of Higher Education in this matter saying it should take over the training of teachers in rural areas.

Statement issued by SACP KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary Themba Mthembu, January 14 2014

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