KZN education warns of serious challenges
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is warning of a potential lawsuit from unpaid suppliers and the potential disruption to examination preparations.
The warning comes as the financial crisis within the department deepens. A report tabled before the Education Portfolio Committee revealed the depth and impact of the financial crisis. The report stated that the budget cuts, and the shortage of funds are a threat to the department’s ability to ensure that pupils are being taught, as it is unable to conduct monitoring of districts and schools.
Furthermore, the lack of funding could jeopardise examinations and matric intervention programmes. For the past few years, the department has faced budget cuts from the national government; it is estimated that close to R28 billion has been cut in the past few years. The financial challenges have led the provincial Treasury to deploy a team to oversee the Education Department's finances.
The department’s report on its financial matters disclosed that budget cuts have left it unable to pay some of its suppliers, putting it at risk of legal action. “Insufficient cash resources result in non-payment to suppliers, which can lead to litigation, breach of contract, interest on overdue accounts, and closure of buildings where services required for operations, such as security, cleaning, electricity, and water, cannot be provided.
