According to the committee, school maintenance and infrastructure projects were being delayed. (File photo)
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Education is facing a severe financial crisis, with more than 80% of its R65 billion budget allocated to salaries, leaving critical school services and infrastructure projects underfunded.
“The lack of budget has an impact on so many aspects, including maintenance at schools, delayed infrastructure projects, learner transport, and even the number of times learners receive food in the National Schools Nutrition Programme,” said the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Joy Maimela, on Wednesday.
KwaZulu-Natal has just over 6000 public schools — the highest number in the country.
The committee is in the province conducting oversight, and started with the Ugu Education District.
Maimela said funding concerns were raised at every school visited.
The department told the committee that budget reductions since the 2021/2022 financial year have forced it to cut 4,231 posts, leaving 8,690 positions vacant as of December 2024.
Despite the cuts, the department is projected to overspend by R1.4 billion in the 2025 financial year, primarily due to salary costs.
KZN Treasury officials also flagged historical unauthorised expenditure, which has amounted to R1 billion since 2019, with R63 million recorded in 2023/2024 alone.
The department’s own budget submissions indicate a projected shortfall of R2.7 billion for the cost of employment (CoE), forcing funds to be diverted from other essential services.
The consequences of overspending on salaries have been dire, according to the committee.
The department admitted it has defaulted on contracts with service providers, struggled to pay subsistence and travel allowances for school monitoring, and failed to supply adequate learning materials.
Schools have also faced delays in receiving their financial transfers due to cash flow constraints.
Maimela called on the department to reassess its spending priorities, including subsidies to independent schools.
“You behave as if you have an obligation to subsidise independent schools. Legislation merely states that the MEC ‘may’ subsidise them. That money can be utilised to fill gaps at public schools,” she said.
Committee members have asked parliament’s Speaker to engage National Treasury for a possible intervention. The oversight visit continued on Wednesday in the Ilembe Education District.