Latest news with #SergiodosSantos
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust
Two school construction projects valued at a combined R261 million have been left without completion dates due to contractor disputes. School construction projects in Gauteng that have cost almost R1 billion are yet to see pupils or teachers in classrooms. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) provided an update on seven school development projects, some which were in their fourth year of construction. The provincial department of infrastructure development (GDID) is responsible for the sites, but have just undergone a change in departmental leadership. Poor contractor performance The GDE shared the information with the provincial legislature in response to a question posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA). Signed off by MEC Matome Chiloane, the response details the budgets for each school and the reasons for the delays. Contractors terminated due to poor performance were the primary reason in all seven cases, with several projects currently at a standstill without proposed completion dates. 'This denies learners the opportunity to be taught in a conducive environment and the delivery of quality education,' stated DA Gauteng shadow representative for education Sergio dos Santos. 'Our children cannot afford any more broken promises. It is time to put them first and hold this government to account for every single incomplete school building across Gauteng.' Over R100 million for a shell Among the worst cases is Inkululeko yeSizwe Primary School, near Vlakfontein, which remains a shell while pupils enrolled at the school are taught in old shipping containers. Contractors broke ground on the new development in late 2020 and the provincial government allocated R137 million for the project. The department stated the project had been affected by community and SMME interruptions since the project began, and is unaware when the school will be completed. 'Challenges like slow progress on site, late delivery of materials and equipment breakdown were experienced,' stated Chiloane. 'The contractor continued to demonstrate in-capacity cashflow issues and notices were issued. GDID has initiated the termination of the contractor and the personal service provider.' Some nearing completion Other schools include Refithlile Pele Primary, which began construction in September 2022 and as of June, the project was at 87% completion. Thabotana Farm School near Heidelberg began in 2024 with a budget of R160 million, with the project having stalled due to the termination of the contractor. Simunye Secondary near Randfontein began in 2021 at a cost of R123 million, with the GDE stating the project was only at 66% completion — with the termination of the contractor pending. Rust Ter Vaal Secondary near Vereeninging is behind schedule due to poor contractor performance as well as challenges with the municipality. 'The contractor submitted a revised recovery plan. There is a risk of power connection. Emfuleni municipality needs to confirm if the municipality has capacity,' stated the GDE. Semphato Combined Secondary in Soshanguve and Dr WK Du Plessis LSEN near Springs both began in 2021, and are at 92% and 97% completion, respectively, at a combined cost of R378 million. In total, the seven schools have a combined budget of R955.9 million. Plans for accountability Dos Santos asked the department what steps had been taken to enforce accountability in relation to the projects. 'Since the above delays are not related to any GDE official's underperformance, no official has undergone any disciplinary hearing,' stated the education MEC. 'Contractors and service providers have been put on terms and some cases terminated due to poor performance.' Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo recently welcomed a new head of department, former education head of department Rufus Mmultana. Mamabolo and Mmultana last week outlined their vision for the province, stating the new in-house project management tracking would improve the department's workflows. 'If we don't deliver these productive assets to the people, we will not improve their quality of life and we will not grow the economy,' said Mamabolo. NOW READ: 'Cutting ribbons': Infrastructure MEC on how department will build Gauteng
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Gauteng schools urged to settle electricity and water bills
Gauteng Education confirms June payments were made and schools must now ensure their water and electricity bills are up to date. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) says no school will face water or power cuts if school governing bodies (SGBs) pay municipal bills with the funds they were allocated in June. The department confirmed on Thursday that June payments were made to all schools for payment of their respective municipal billing accounts. This comes after the financial situation at the schools was shared in a written response to an issue raised by the DA shadow MEC for education, Sergio dos Santos. Over 500 schools disconnected in 2025 A detailed list provided by Education MEC Matome Chiloane's office showed that 536 schools endured some sort of billing-related disconnection in 2025. Of those, 293 were for a period of at least 30 days, while another 250 experienced disconnections lasting between seven and 18 days. Four of the schools had their water disconnected for periods between 10 and 27 days, with the remaining schools having had their electricity disconnected. ALSO READ: If it ain't broke, break it anyway There were 16 schools that had their water, electricity, waste and sewerage services disconnected simultaneously. Schools with the highest bills include Fleurhof Primary with an overdue amount of R3.8 million, R1.6 million owed by Soshanguve South Primary, and R1.9 million owed by Fusion Secondary in Lotus Gardens. The GDE further reiterated that once the funds have been transferred, it is the responsibility of the schools and their SGBs to make sure that their municipal accounts are settled and paid on time to avoid water and electricity cuts. Schools are responsible for their own money – GDE The department emphasised that schools, specifically those granted Section 21 functions, are tasked with handling their own money, in line with legislation. These schools are responsible for a range of functions, including the payment of municipal services such as electricity and water. 'No public school in Gauteng is currently, or will ever be, disconnected from water and electricity services now and in the near future,' said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane. 'Schools must work hand in hand with the GDE to continue achieving this by ensuring their municipal accounts are up to date at all times and that they comply with all necessary procedures.' ALSO READ: Payment delays for school assistants caused by DBE verification issues GDE said that in addition to allocating funds, it provides oversight and support to these schools, having previously settled outstanding accounts on behalf of schools in April 2025. The department also said that it trains SGBs and schools in financial management to emphasise the importance of complying with all relevant financial procedures. Parents and communities urged to support SGBs The GDE said that it continues to collaborate with school leadership structures to ensure sound financial governance and uninterrupted access to basic services. 'We call on parents, communities, and stakeholders to support schools and their school governing bodies in executing their duties not just responsibly but to the benefit of all learners, educators, and school-based staff,' said Chiloane. Additional reporting by Jarryd Westerdale
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Almost 300 Gauteng schools went without electricity for a month in 2025
Water and electricity services were cut at schools in 2025 due to unpaid bills amounting to almost R60 million. Schools throughout Gauteng have experienced multiple days without electricity in the first half of this year. Schools responsible for paying their own municipal bills defaulted to the tune of millions, leaving thousands of classrooms dark. Many of those affected are no-fee paying schools, with some questioning the wisdom of giving them the responsibility of covering their own bills. School electricity disconnections The financial situation at the schools was shared in a written response to an issue raised by the DA shadow MEC for education, Sergio dos Santos. A detailed list provided by Education MEC Matome Chiloane's office showed that 536 schools endured some sort of billing-related disconnection in 2025. Of those, 293 were for a period of at least 30 days, while another 250 experienced disconnections lasting between seven and 18 days. Four of the schools had their water disconnected for periods between 10 and 27 days, with the remaining schools having had their electricity disconnected. There were 16 schools that had their water, electricity, waste and sewerage services disconnected simultaneously. 'This made it impossible to provide lighting in classrooms, power educational technology, and maintain hygiene and safety standards,' stated Dos Santos. Almost R60 million owed The value of the unpaid municipal accounts amounts to R58 million, with the schools disconnected for 30 days, owing over R100 000 each. Schools with the highest bills include Fleurhof Primary with an overdue amount of R3.8 million, R1.6 million owed by Soshanguve South Primary, and R1.9 million owed by Fusion Secondary in Lotus Gardens. These schools have section 21 status under the South African Schools (SAS) Act, with the national education department's 2024 document on norms and standards for school funding explaining the distinction. 'Schools that have section 21 responsibilities, or functions, receive the school allocation as a transfer into the school bank account,' read the document. 'Schools that do not have section 21 responsibilities do not receive the school allocation of money. Instead, the school works together with the department to decide what the school allocation should be used for, and the department buys the goods for the school.' Over 2 000 new Section 21s The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said in the last five financial years, 2 034 schools were given greater financial autonomy under this clause. Asked what criteria were used to determine if schools could handle such responsibility, Chiloane said the GDE gauged the school's capacity to perform such functions effectively. 'To establish this, the GDE also looked into the ability of the governing body to manage finances,' stated Chiloane. 'To empower governing bodies to manage the Section 21 functions, the department ensures that schools are trained in financial management as soon as new governing bodies are elected,' he added. 'The governing bodies of schools are also expected to take all reasonable measures to supplement the resources supplied by the state in order to improve the quality of education provided by the school,' Chiloane explained. 'Utility crisis' The MEC stated that while they provide financial oversight, they did not keep municipal accounts for the school. He added that the GDE was unable to settle the arrears but stated that they 'anticipate' schools will be caught up by 30 June. Chiloane said the GDE was engaging with municipalities and Eskom to resolve billing issues and asked municipalities to inform them before disconnections occurred. Dos Santos inquired whether the financial situation had improved, but that feedback was still outstanding. 'The utility crisis has serious implications for learners' dignity, health, and access to quality education, particularly in schools with limited resources to cope,' concluded the Shadow MEC. A request for an update on the schools' bills was sent to the GDE by The Citizen on Tuesday, but no response had been received at the time of publication. NOW READ: More than 7 000 grade R teachers aren't qualified to teach their class
