Gauteng school meal suppliers allege corruption, warn pupils could go hungry
Service providers supplying meals to schools in Gauteng have raised serious allegations of corruption surrounding the province’s school nutrition programme, warning that thousands of pupils could go hungry as payments to suppliers remain unpaid for months.
Lisa Sukdev, spokesperson for affected service providers, revealed to IOL on Tuesday that there are many irregularities in the procurement and payment processes, accusing the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) of failing to adhere to transparent procedures.
“A few companies registered on CIPC were awarded bids, but in some cases, we couldn’t find records of these companies on the CIPC database,” explained Sukdev.
“One unsuccessful bidder was even compelled by a court order to provide documentation to the Department, but failed to do so. Despite this, the bid proceeded irregularly.”
She further accused the Department of not providing crucial adjudication documentation.
“The evaluation committee failed to provide minutes or appointment letters, and Treasury regulations require these steps to be recorded and adhered to. Right now, the bidding process clearly violates procurement laws.”
The affected bids are compliance-based, meaning suppliers must meet stringent criteria such as warehouse capacity, stock availability, and skilled personnel.
“This isn’t just about offering the lowest price; bidders must comply with strict standards. But those requirements are being ignored.”
Sukdev said one supplier’s payment was delayed from October last year until May this year, underscoring the severity of the problem and warning of a worsening crisis.
“The business of school feeding has become extremely expensive to maintain. Providers are forced to finance supplies through overdrafts and loans, yet payments remain irregular.”
“Many suppliers are running out of resources and cannot continue supplying meals. The Department is reallocating contracts to new entities without transparency, often favouring individuals they are familiar with, which effectively pushes existing suppliers out of business.”
Sukdev also pointed to serious concerns over allocation sizes, explaining that some suppliers feed 20,000 learners monthly, while others handle 80,000 or 100,000, yet no clear criteria or public communication exist.
“When does this stop? Even the highest offices are not responding to our calls or addressing the challenges we have raised. They are failing our children, and businesses are being disempowered,” Sukdev lamented.
Steve Mabona, spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Education, referred to a statement last week clarifying the situation.
Mabona explained that the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), a national initiative providing meals to vulnerable learners in Quintile 1-3 no-fee-paying schools, continues without disruption.
However, he said that Gauteng extended NSNP, which supports learners in Quintile 4 and 5 – historically fee-paying schools not covered by the national programme – has experienced strain due to significant socio-economic changes.
He cited the Increasing number of vulnerable learners now requiring subsidised meals, which puts pressure on provincial funding.
“The rapid growth in learners needing nutrition support combined with budget reductions has caused payment delays to some service providers,” Mabona said.
“The Department is working diligently to resolve these issues and is engaging directly with affected suppliers.”
He added that the provincial government is reviewing the school quintile system to reflect present-day socio-economic realities better and ensure funding aligns with learner needs.
“The Department remains committed to clearing all outstanding payments and supporting service providers to continue their vital work,” Mabona stated.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
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