Thousands of pupils around KwaZulu-Natal may go without a meal at school for the third day today as the dispute about newly awarded nutrition programme tenders continues.
Some schools contacted by The Mercury said the new suppliers had brought food on time, while others came too late to prepare food for the children.
At another school, they had to use food left over from last term to feed the almost 1 000 pupils, many of whom depend on this meal. All schools contacted were in the Pinetown district. However, it is believed that schools in uMkhanyakude and in uMlazi were also affected.
But Department of Education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa said these were minor glitches as the majority of schools did receive food. “We suspect it is the service providers who did not get the tenders who are spreading stories. We’re confident that we will be successful,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DA yesterday said they would write to the Office of the Public Protector to request that the current tender cycle, in particular that of the Pinetown District, be investigated. The party called on MEC Mthandeni Dlungwana to intervene urgently.
Last week, 191 suppliers went to court to contest losing out on three-year deals to supply food to schools.
The court found that the matter was not urgent and would have to go through the normal court process. Before going ahead, attorney Julie Harries said she was awaiting the outcome of another possible court action in Pietermaritzburg. However, Sifiso Ngcamu, attorney representing the Pietermaritzburg suppliers, said they were following the review process and assumed that the department would not award contracts permanently while the appeal process was ongoing.
According to Thulani Myeza, general manager of the controversial Delangokubona Business Forum, the Pietermaritzburg suppliers are their members and had come to them for help.
He threatened to shut down schools around the province if their allegations of corruption in awarding the tenders was not resolved. But, Mthethwa said, unsuccessful bidders would only be engaged if they lodged an appeal.
According to Treasury spokesperson Musa Cebisa, this appeal process in the form of a tribunal was unique to KZN.
“This initiative, the first of its kind in the country, launched in April 2014 by the KZN Treasury, helps to combat fraud and corruption and to ensure that appeals against bid awards are resolved speedily and in a cost-effective manner,” said Cebisa.
According to MEC Dlungwana’s budget vote speech in May this year, the programme provides nutritious meals to 2.2 million pupils in 5 250 schools throughout the province daily. Almost 1 900 service providers provide this service, for which R1.4 billion is set aside.