The Gauteng education department has vowed to take action after a report revealed allegedly dodgy spending of about R431m for the decontamination, deep-cleaning and sanitising of schools.
The report, which the head of department and chief financial officer had compiled, was released on Tuesday. It detailed the decontamination, disinfection and cleaning of educational facilities commenced in June 2020 in preparation for the opening of schools on June 8. This process involved 2,207 schools and 38 administration buildings.
It is alleged a number of companies awarded the tender to sanitise schools did not have any expertise and experience and were not part of the cleaning industry.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said he was taken aback by the report, and promised to take action. He said he was consulting with relevant law enforcement agencies to take up these investigations, and also requested the auditor-general to check and verify if there was value for money in the contracts.