A group of nine education assistants (EAs) and general school assistants (GSAs) at Birch Acres Secondary No. 2 in Kempton Park have raised serious concerns after not receiving their stipends since beginning work on August 10.

The school, which opened earlier this year with three Grade 8 classes, operates with a small but dedicated team of staff, including the assistants appointed to support teachers and daily school operations.

Although officially employed under the EA and GSA Programme, the assistants said they did not receive payment for more than two months.

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Originally a team of ten, one assistant has since secured alternative employment, leaving nine who continue to report for duty daily, maintaining discipline, assisting in classrooms, and supporting with administrative tasks.

“We love what we do, and we’ve been showing up every day because we care about the learners and the school. But we are really struggling now, and we depend on this stipend to survive,” said Thomas (not his real name), one of the assistants.

Thomas added that many of them travel long distances on foot to get to work.

“I have a five-year-old daughter who depends on me. It has become increasingly difficult to meet our daily needs,” he said.

“When I received the call for employment, I was thrilled because I had been unemployed for a long time and living on family support.

“I had hoped to use this opportunity to further my studies and provide for my daughter, but after two months with no payment, things have become extremely tough.”

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Despite the challenges, he said the assistants have built strong working relationships with the educators and learners at the school.

The group is now appealing to the Department of Education to resolve the payment delays and communicate when they can expect compensation for their work.

“We plead with the department to assist us. Our coordinators have left us in the dark, and when we enquire, we get shouted at or insulted. Most days, I find strength in prayer and in the hope of a better future for the learners,” Thomas added.

The spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), Steve Mabona, confirmed that a resolution has been reached regarding the delayed payments for education assistants and general school assistants employed under the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI).

He said following late-night discussions between the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the parties have agreed on a plan that ensures compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) while providing urgent relief to affected workers.

“We will use alternative verification methods to confirm attendance, and the UIF and DEL have agreed to immediately release funds for BEEI stipend payments,” Mabona said.

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He confirmed that payments began on October 8 at 10:00.

Those banking with Capitec and FNB are expected to receive their payments first, while others may experience standard interbank delays.

“Government recognises the importance of strict adherence to PFMA prescripts to safeguard taxpayer resources.

“However, we acknowledge that the delays in verifying attendance were unacceptable and caused undue hardship. For this, the government unreservedly apologises,” he said.

Mabona added that the UIF, as a funder of the BEEI Phase V programme, along with the IDC as implementing agent and the DBE as oversight body, remains committed to ensuring all assistants will be paid promptly and that similar delays are prevented in the future.

He outlined several measures to strengthen processes, including:

• Submission of all compliance documents, including registers, by agreed deadlines.
• The creation of a joint technical team between the DEL, DBE, and IDC to fast-track verification.
• Improvements to the Kwantu Payment System to enhance accessibility.
• A review by the UIF to strengthen proactive compliance monitoring.

“Schools have experience managing this large-scale initiative through existing internal controls, where assistants are either paid via PERSAL or directly by schools. These two methods are expected to remain in operation going forward,” Mabona said.

He confirmed that the BEEI project will now be a standing item in senior management meetings from school to national levels and that consequence management for proven negligence or delays will follow internal investigations.

“We extend our appreciation to all stakeholders for their patience and cooperation during this process,” Mabona added.