400 school principals investigated for fraud

Mbasa Gqokoma

07 June 2016

400 school principals investigated for fraud Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says nearly 400 principles have been investigated for corruption in Gauteng and Limpopo, between 2011 and 2015.

In a written parliamentary question, Motshekga says provincial heads of department could not provide the data available from the other provinces -except the Free State and Western Cape, where no principles have been investigated for corruption.

She says during this period, no principle has been criminally charged, convicted or dismissed.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape Education Department has flushed thousands of alleged ghost pupils out of the education system, saving R60-million this year.

This was revealed by education MEC Mandla Makupula at the Bhisho legislature recently.

The department embarked on a process to get schools to verify identity documents, passports and study permit numbers.

Makupula said the aim was to ensure resources were directed to where they were needed most.

He says there are more than 5000 schools in the Eastern Cape and to date, more than 30000 ghost pupils have been picked up through the verification process.

He says these include 24571 pupils in Grade R, 961 at special schools and 5292 at independent schools.

Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the verification process was ongoing.