KZN Education MEC Under Pressure After Tribunal Orders Action In R2.5 Million Toilets Scandal

KwaZulu Natal’s already strained education system is back in the spotlight after the Special Tribunal handed down a damning ruling on a R2.5 million chemical toilets contract that never followed the rules. Now MEC Sipho Hlomuka has been instructed to discipline 16 officials who played a part in the irregular deal, in what many South Africans see as yet another reminder of how procurement failures can hurt learners long before they reach a classroom.

A Contract That Should Never Have Been Signed

According to the Special Investigating Unit, the controversy goes back to June 2020, when the Department of Education procured 72 chemical toilets for schools without any competitive bidding process. The SIU found that the R2.53 million contract was awarded in violation of the Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act, and essential Treasury regulations.

Investigators uncovered a chain of failures. Officials ignored mandatory supply chain processes. The service provider, Hawulethu (Pty) Ltd, delivered goods even before being formally appointed. Prices were inflated by more than 100 percent. Payments were split to dodge procurement thresholds. And in some cases, Hawulethu allegedly billed the state for work that was never done.

Tribunal Takes A Hard Line On Accountability

The Tribunal’s ruling does more than simply cancel the unlawful contract. It orders Hawulethu to repay all profits earned, with interest, and to cover the legal costs of the review. The company must submit a fully audited account of what it earned within 30 days.

Perhaps the strongest message lies in the Tribunal’s instruction that MEC Hlomuka personally take disciplinary action against all 16 implicated officials. The SIU welcomed this part of the ruling, saying it pushes responsibility to the highest leadership level instead of allowing failures to disappear into bureaucratic gaps.

A Familiar Story For Parents And Teachers

For families across KZN, the news hit a nerve. Parents on social media expressed frustration that while learners in rural and township schools still struggle with unsafe or inadequate sanitation, money meant to solve the problem is still being mismanaged.

On X, one user wrote, “Our kids are still using dangerous pit toilets yet millions get wasted. When will someone finally go to jail?” Another said, “Same story every year. Investigations, statements, no real change.”

The department has yet to publicly comment on the ruling, but the pressure is building for meaningful action and visible accountability.

Why This Matters

School infrastructure scandals are not new, but this case highlights recurring systemic issues. For years, NGOs and parents have raised concerns about sanitation infrastructure in South African schools, especially after several tragic incidents involving unsafe toilets. Every rand lost to corruption or negligence is a setback for learners who already face infrastructural inequality.

The Tribunal’s ruling may signal a shift toward stronger consequence management. Whether it leads to real reform within the department is the question that communities will be watching closely.

If MEC Hlomuka follows through decisively, it could restore some trust in a system that desperately needs it. If not, the province risks adding another chapter to a long history of procurement failures that leave learners paying the price.

{Source:IOL}

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