CORRUPTION NEWS

AG’s report paints grim view of local govt

Auditor-general Terence Nombembe gave a grim view of financial management at local government level this week, with just 30% of municipalities making progress in addressing internal control disciplines. Nombembe said he “remains concerned about 70% of municipalities where the basics of key controls have not yet been mastered”. Nombembe tabled his 2010-11 general reports on Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Corruption Watch flooded with state school complaints

By Zaheer Cassim When a public official steals millions of rand through nepotism and shady deals, there is generally a public outcry for that person to be removed from office. Sadly, this same zeal for justice does not filter down to public schools, where thousands of learners are short-changed by corrupt principals and teachers. Over Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Police’s graft tolerance feeds ‘code of silence’

By Chantelle Benjamin A new study has found a direct link between South African Police Service (SAPS) members’ willingness to report on law-breaking colleagues and the extent to which the guilty parties believe their colleagues will keep silent, as well as whether they believe action will be taken against the lawbreaker. Considering that a previous Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Metcalfe textbooks report: what you need to know

By Mary Metcalfe REPORT: VERIFICATION OF TEXT BOOKS DELIVERIES IN LIMPOPO 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I was asked by SECTION27 and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to verify the state of delivery of textbooks to schools serving Grade 1-­‐3 and Grade 10 Learners in the Limpopo Province as at 27th June 2012. This was agreed Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Textbook bungle: cast of characters

Cast of characters (in alphabetical order): Angie Motshekga, is the basic education minister. Tshitangano wrote to her of his concerns in June 2011, to which she responded in July. She has laid the blame for the textbook non-delivery at the door of Anis Karodia. In April 2012, she assured EduSolutions the contract would go ahead, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Updated timeline of Limpopo textbook saga

2012: 12 July – A task team appointed by the Department of Basic Education and headed by former Gauteng education MEC Mary Metcalfe audits the delivery of textbooks at 10 percent of schools and was expected to present a draft report by Wednesday 11 July. 11 July – Glen Kubayi is released on R2 000 Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Education scandal deepens

When you are in a hole, the sensible thing to do is to stop digging. But when it comes to the delivery of textbooks to schools and the rot in the country’s education departments, it seems the corruption just keeps getting deeper. Read the updated textbook saga timeline here and the full cast of characters Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Timeline of the Limpopo textbook saga

2009: Solly Tshitangano moves from his job in the Mpumalanga government to Limpopo government as the general manager of finance in the education department 2010: End of Feb – Limpopo Education Department chief financial officer (CFO) Ian van der Merwe leaves. Tshitangano is appointed acting CFO from 1 March to 31 August. During this time Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Diary of a whistleblower

While Solly Tshitangano fought a lonely two-year battle, sometimes fearing for his life, the real victims in the sorry saga of Limpopo’s textbooks are the schoolchildren who have lost out half-a-year of education – and will struggle to complete the year successfully. View the full timeline of events here. Solly Tshitangano is a hero; he Read more >