KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has assured parents and staff that all special schools in the province — including Pro Nobis in Dundee — will receive their long-delayed subsidies by Thursday.

The delay, which left 76 special needs schools struggling to pay staff and cover basic costs such as electricity, security, and insurance, sparked outrage last week. Parents of learners at Pro Nobis, which caters for over 300 children from across Northern KZN, picketed outside the school gates, vowing not to allow classes to resume until funding was released.

‘Learners must not suffer’

Hlomuka apologised for the distress caused, blaming “unforeseen technical glitches” for the hold-up. “We extend our sincere apologies to the affected schools and acknowledge their vital role in supporting learners with special needs. The payment has been rescheduled, and all schools should receive their funds by Thursday, October 23,” he said.

Democratic Alliance spokesperson for education in KZN, Sakhile Mngadi, condemned the department’s handling of the issue, calling it “a violation of the rights and dignity of KZN’s most vulnerable learners”.
“The failure to release subsidies on time has left schools unable to function,” Mngadi said, urging Premier Thami Ntuli and MEC Hlomuka to ensure such delays never happen again.

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