Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says there will be consequence management for the administrative error that delayed payments to thousands of teacher assistants across the country.

There were delays in September payments to education assistants and general school assistants under the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI).

The Department of Basic Education and others held a media briefing at GCIS in Pretoria, announcing that the issue had been resolved and payments have been released.

Minister Gwarube acknowledged the administrative failure.

“While I’m relieved that the immediate crisis has been resolved, I cannot and will not treat this as a routine administrative matter. I’ve instructed both the director-general and the acting director-general to immediately institute the appropriate consequence management and hold people accountable who have failed to discharge their responsibilities in the management and the implementation of the BEEI. This is not about scapegoating. It’s about ensuring accountability and ensuring that as trusted public representatives, we understand the weight of that trust.”