Durban – Two years after the Department of Basic Education in KwaZulu-Natal concluded an impromptu investigation into the sanitary pads scandal, a whistle-blower is now claiming that they were instructed to withhold information from investigators.
As a result, the whistle-blower who has prepared a document and sent it to several entities including the media, the SIU, the KZN Office of the Premier and prominent teacher’s unions, claims corruption was not completely uprooted in the department.
It was not stated who exactly issued the illegal instruction which carries a jail term when one is convicted since it amounts to obstruction of justice.
The sanitary pads scandal the whistle-blower is referring to is the one which rocked the procurement scandals-prone department in the early days of 2020.
That was when the department set aside R25 million to buy sanitary pads for learners coming from struggling households.
However, due to uncontrolled spending and alleged corruption and collusion, the price tag eventually ballooned to R110m, prompting a probe.
Before the probe commenced, three officials were suspended, but they later returned to their posts after they were cleared by the legal firm which was tasked with the investigations.
Now, the whistle-blower is claiming that they were instructed to conceal information from investigators who were working on the matter.
“There was inflated pricing and deviations yet no one was held responsible, from R25m to over R100m.
“We were told not to divulge anything to investigators and as a result we still have the same going on in SCM (supply chain management) at Pinetown, where prices are being inflated for friends of the SCM component and we are told we can do nothing about it.
“Suppliers are being called in and told to change their quotation and increase it to the schools allocated budget which is given to them by the deputy director of Pinetown and his committee.
“Some are changed after orders have been placed by the Deputy Director,” says part of the dossier.
The spokesperson of the department, Kwazi Mthethwa, said they were not aware of the dossier since they have not received it.
“We have not received it,” Mthethwa said.
However, the dossier is now being circulated and known within the circles of the department.
One of the senior managers had it leaked to IOL.
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