EDITOR – Last week’s announcement by KwaZulu-Natal education officials, that R155 million is to be taken from the department’s budget to pay striking employees is a disaster for the learners of this province.
Officials also made the announcement that the department has been under extreme financial pressure for as long as five years. This is exactly why the DA did not approve its June budget.
In March this year, during a portfolio committee meeting, former MEC, Senzo Mchunu acknowledged the accuracy of the DA’s assessment of this budget, in particular its inadequacy in funding education programmes.
Yesterday MEC Nkonyeni conceded that the department is unable to function effectively with the current budget.
The KwaZulu-Natal cabinet’s funding choices reflect a lack of understanding of priority, as funds are consistently diverted from education to less essential portfolio’s.
The DA challenges the KwaZulu-Natal cabinet to re-examine its own commitment to tackling education when it comes to funding. We challenge MEC Nkonyeni to make sure this happens.
