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Unpacking SA’s education crisis – part six

In this, our sixth and final instalment on the unfolding education saga, we ask what lessons have been learned from the Limpopo textbook crisis to avoid a similar breakdown in the future, both from the government’s perspective and civil society. We look at systematic problems in the education system that affected the Eastern Cape, as Read more >

Expert: Neo Africa could face criminal charges

The report by Neo Africa will come under scrutiny when whistleblower and former Limpopo Education general manager of budget Solly Tshitangano takes his unfair dismissal fight to court. In its report, Neo Africa cleared senior department officials of irregularities relating to the EduSolutions contract – a conclusion not shared by other investigations. A legal expert Read more >

Unpacking SA’s education crisis – part four

In this, the fourth of our six-part series on the unfolding education crisis, we pick apart the roles and powers of the various investigative and administrative agencies involved with the Limpopo case, and identify what they are doing to resolve the crisis. Media professionals are free to use all copy and photographs from this series Read more >

Another textbooks court battle ‘inevitable’

By Chantelle Benjamin It’s back to court for Section27 and the National Department of Basic Education, with the lobby group saying it will lodge papers in the North Gauteng High Court in the next few weeks after trying “everything not to return to court, but it has become apparent that it’s inevitable”, according to the Read more >

Whistleblowers: champions of our times

Silence is golden – or so goes the expression, but at what cost does it come in the face of rampant corruption? This is the question three South Africans may have asked themselves as they took the risk of deliberately exposing rot in government structures. All three must have known that their whistleblowing could have Read more >

Metcalfe textbooks report: what you need to know

By Mary Metcalfe REPORT: VERIFICATION OF TEXT BOOKS DELIVERIES IN LIMPOPO 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I was asked by SECTION27 and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to verify the state of delivery of textbooks to schools serving Grade 1-­‐3 and Grade 10 Learners in the Limpopo Province as at 27th June 2012. This was agreed Read more >

Textbook bungle: cast of characters

Cast of characters (in alphabetical order): Angie Motshekga, is the basic education minister. Tshitangano wrote to her of his concerns in June 2011, to which she responded in July. She has laid the blame for the textbook non-delivery at the door of Anis Karodia. In April 2012, she assured EduSolutions the contract would go ahead, Read more >

Updated timeline of Limpopo textbook saga

2012: 12 July – A task team appointed by the Department of Basic Education and headed by former Gauteng education MEC Mary Metcalfe audits the delivery of textbooks at 10 percent of schools and was expected to present a draft report by Wednesday 11 July. 11 July – Glen Kubayi is released on R2 000 Read more >

Education scandal deepens

When you are in a hole, the sensible thing to do is to stop digging. But when it comes to the delivery of textbooks to schools and the rot in the country’s education departments, it seems the corruption just keeps getting deeper. Read the updated textbook saga timeline here and the full cast of characters Read more >