SGB Association appeals to KZN Education to pay nutrition suppliers

The National Association of School Governing Bodies has appealed to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education to ensure the school nutrition programme is not interrupted. This as some schools in the province did not receive their food supplies on Monday, apparently due to the non-payment to service providers.

Three months ago, suppliers staged a picket outside the Department’s offices in Pietermaritzburg alleging they had not been paid for months. Last week, service concerns arose.

The Secretary-General of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, Bongumusa Mnguni says, “Most of the schools that are benefiting from the nutrition programme were affected yesterday due to lack of payment to suppliers. They were supposed to deliver maas as well as vegetables. Every Monday most of the schools receive the food. Most of the schools through our secretariat informed us that most of the schools were affected due to the non-delivery of food. Most of the affected districts reported it would be Umlazi, Umgungundlovu. iLembe , Uthukela and Amajuba.”

Meanwhile, KZN Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has dismissed claims that suppliers were not paid due to a lack of funds from the department.

“There is no crisis from where I am seated. We have a contract with service providers who have decided to apply for a tender of nutrition. We have 1744 service providers across the province. We have paid more than 1700 service providers in June. In terms of the Policy of Treasury, we must pay service providers within 30 days. Therefore, 30 days have not lapsed. I do not understand what this panic is all about. If there are service providers who are failing to manage their finances for whatever reason they must indicate.”

School meal scheme disruption in KZN: Nomarashiya Caluza