Durban - More suppliers of the KwaZulu-Natal school's nutrition programme are coming out to claim that the Department of Education is dragging its feet in paying them for food collected from Pacina Retail's distribution points and delivered to schools across the province in April.
The suppliers say if this continues, they may not be able to supply the schools for the rest of May without knowing how and when they will be paid.
IOL understands that the department is still trying to get legal advice after it emerged through correspondences with Pacina lawyers that the contract is still legally binding and Pacina later met all its obligations, even though it started on a bad note.
NEWS: More suppliers of the KwaZulu-Natal school's nutrition programme are coming out to claim that the Department of Education is dragging its feet in paying them for food collected from Pacina Retail's distribution points and delivered to schools across the province.
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 9, 2023
One supplier told IOL on Tuesday that they are still in the dark about whether they will be paid or not since Pacina said the contract belongs to it.
“We are still soldiering on even though the department is not issuing out order numbers and SLAs (service level agreements).
“We are in the dark as we are not sure whether we will be paid or not since Pacina is still claiming that the contract belongs to it.
“On the other hand, we are running out of money to continue delivering the food to schools as Ithala is not financing us without those documents,” the service provider told IOL.
He added that they doubt they will even get paid for work done in May when the department reverted to the old system.
“Some suppliers are even calling others, asking them to take over their schools and supply them since they are suffocating without being paid,” the supplier added.
Another supplier told IOL that it’s tough for them as they are small companies without huge reserves to rely on and keep on supplying while the department sorts itself out.
“These documents required for suppliers to claim for delivery at Pacina collection point in April.
“To date nothing has been said as to how we’re going to claim for the said collection and deliver.
“We are struggling with finances and we were told to approach Ithala which requires some documents that the department hasn't issued, to this point we do not know whether we will get paid or not.
“We can’t get through to them as they don't even acknowledge receipt of emails sent to them last week Thursday,” the other supplier claimed.
The department’s head of communications, Muzi Mahlambi, did not respond when asked what is causing the delay in issuing the documents required by the suppliers.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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