MK Party demands accountability over delayed payments to school nutrition service providers
The party criticised the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department for its failure to pay suppliers on time
The MKP angered by the non-paymet of service providers of the school nutrition programme in KZN
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) says it is outraged by the failure of the KwaZulu-Natal Education department to pay service providers in the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) on time, describing this as a dereliction of duty.
“This dereliction has jeopardised the provision of essential meals to over 2.4 million learners across the province," said the party in a statement.
The department, which is facing serious financial issues, has stated that it has paid some of its service providers and that others will be paid later this week. However, the service providers staged a sit-in at the department's offices on Monday, stating they would not be in a position to supply meals to children as they have no money.
The MK Party stated that despite assurances from the Department that payments were processed, numerous service providers report that funds have yet to materialise, leaving them financially incapacitated and unable to deliver food to schools.
“This has led to dire consequences for pupils, many of whom depend on the programme for their daily meals. The MK Party finds this unacceptable, underscoring a broader pattern of mismanagement and lack of accountability within the Department,” it said.
The MK Party has demanded immediate actions to rectify this crisis, including:
- Transparent disclosure of the NSNP’s funding status to confirm that allocated funds have not been diverted.
- Immediate settlement of all outstanding payments to prevent further disruption.
- Implementation of a sustainable payment system to avoid similar issues in the future.
The KZN Education Department stated in a statement on Monday that approximately 78% of service providers have been paid an amount totalling R161 million. It stated that it had experienced technical challenges in processing some of the payments.
“The department is currently preparing for the next payment run scheduled for Monday, May 5, 2025. We are optimistic that all technical challenges will be addressed by then, allowing recipients to receive their overdue payments by Thursday, May 8, 2025.
It must be stated clearly that 78% of service providers have been paid up to date, and only 22% have not yet been paid,” it said.