Financial mismanagement and alleged corruption within the school transport system led to the non-payment of bus operators, Gauteng education department provincial minister Angie Motshekga said on Wednesday.
”A forensic report reveals that indeed there was serious financial mismanagement of the scholar transport budget. The senior manager responsible for scholar transport will be relieved of her duties, and various managers within the head and district offices and some principals are to be suspended immediately,” Motshekga said during a press conference in Johannesburg.
She said criminal charges against bus operators who allegedly defrauded the system had been lodged with the Johannesburg police.
The press briefing followed several strikes and protests in the past few days by bus operators and pupils.
Many operators suspended operations due to non- or late payment by the department, leaving pupils stranded without transport to school.
Motshekga said an investigation had revealed that bus operators were paid about two months after they were supposed to be paid.
”I found that they were paid in July for April and May. This is wrong and, as I said before, we have relieved the manager [of her post] and we will now make sure that things go smoothly.”
She said the bus service was now ”almost normal” except for a few bus operators who believed the department still owed them money.
”JCJ Buses withdrew almost 40 buses on the pretext that we owe them money. They can’t suddenly decide to do this and legal proceedings will be instituted against them.”
Motshekga said alternative transport had been arranged to take over JCJ’s route. She could not however assure the public that there would be buses on all routes.
Meanwhile another investigation into ”ghost posts” at the education department revealed the Soweto district had lost more than R830 000 in the past year.
”We have picked up irregular appointments of personnel without proper documentation, appointments with incomplete documents and those appointed without mandate,” said Motshekga.
”The findings confirmed the appointment of at least 15 ghost staff members at the cost of R835 766,58.”
She said eight officials from the Soweto district involved in the ”ghost teacher scam” had been suspended and their cases had been handed over to the police
Motshekga said the names of the people who had been relieved of their posts or suspended could not be revealed as this could jeopardise the police investigation. – Sapa