Education department task team still investigating ‘jobs for sale’ allegations
Corruption would not be tolerated in the educational sector, and anyone found guilty of selling jobs would face the full might of the law, the Department of Basic Education said.
The department of basic education confirmed that a task team set up to investigate the practice was still busy with its investigation.
The department said the task team appointed by the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga was continuing to investigate the “jobs for sale” allegations and said it was “anticipated that the report will be completed before the end of the year”.
The investigations came about after the department received reports that “certain posts for teachers and principals had been given to individuals who had paid cash to secure the jobs”.
The department slammed this practice and said that “anybody who applies for a post in the education system must be appointed on merit”.
The task team, headed by Professor John Volmink, also includes a private forensic team.
The task team had again requested more time to submit a report on their findings as “there were more people coming forward with information”.
The department said: “The team has visited all provinces and interviewed Education Department officials, national and provincial leaders of teacher unions, individuals and school governing body organisations.”
The Democratic Alliance had earlier questioned why Motshekga had still not tabled the forensic report as promised, despite the allegations having first surfaced more than a year ago.
DA MP Gavin Davis said: “When the scandal first came to light in May 2014, Minister Motshekga announced a forensic investigation to look into it. A year later, in her Budget Speech on 6 May 2015, Minister Motshekga said that the investigation was close to completion.
“Six months have passed and the jobs-for-cash report has still not seen the light of day,” Davis said. “I have today written to Minister Motshekga to request an update into the progress of the jobs-for-cash investigation, and when we can expect her to table the forensic report in Parliament. The sooner the report is tabled, the sooner we can take action against the teachers and officials involved in this racket.”
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) welcomed the investigation, with ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley saying: “The ACDP calls on the Minister to take the practice of ‘selling’ or arranging jobs for teachers or principals seriously and ensure that where evidence confirms these allegations that swift processes and harsh enough consequences act as a deterrent for others contemplating similar irregular employment practices.”
The department said that should the report show “sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, the police will be involved to help bring those implicated to face the full might of the law”. –
ANA
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