Durban - Two weeks into the R2 billion KwaZulu-Natal schools feeding scheme which is facing an imminent collapse and leaving 2.4 million learners in 2 246 schools hungry, the business forum for the frustrated suppliers has made shocking revelations.
Prompted by the challenges now running into the second week (and possibly the third week), the KwaZulu-Natal nutrition business forum called an impromptu press conference in Durban on Friday.
This was to shed light on why the scheme is failing and what should be done to save it.
The forum is made up of suppliers from all over the vast and largely rural province and kicked off the press conference by stating clearly that there is still no food in schools in KwaZulu-Natal and anyone claiming otherwise is not being honest.
Video: Sihle Mavuso
Their claim is contrary to a statement made by Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube who is on record saying only a few schools in the Ugu region (South Coast) are still without food - that was on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the MEC for Education, Mbali Frazer, while delivering her department’s budget, claimed that all the challenges have been resolved and schools are now getting their food packs.
However, the forum dismissed that.
“However, due to insatiable greed and arrogance of our leaders in the Department of Education in the province, there is still no food in KwaZulu-Natal schools.
“Anyone who says there is food in schools clearly that person does not understand the NSNP (National School Nutrition Programme).
It further said: “As a people we must avoid promoting mediocrity, hence we shall only say there is food in schools when it is available as prescribed (by) the NSNP and as per the awarded tender”.
The forum also raised concerns about the standard of the food and the warehouse where they are made to collect the food right now.
It claimed that the warehouses are dirty and all hygiene by-laws are not enforced.
Moreover, the forum claimed that the main supplier from which they were forced to source food from is not the one distributing the little food that appears to have expired and rotten.
“The department of basic education staff has now taken over that process, it is their staff that is found in collection points and distributing the rotten food you see trending on social media,” Lindani Matiwane, the forum's secretary claimed during the press conference.
Matiwane alleged that the way the scheme has been weakened by the department, 10kg of rice is now expected to feed 1 000 learners for a week.
“This time around, what we have received a little allocation, for example, 1 000 learners, will be given 10kg of rice (to feed them for a week),” he said, adding that some schools cannot use it as it is not even sufficient for one day.
In some of the schools that have received little food, there is no cooking oil and LP gas to be used for cooking.
The suppliers claimed that the tender specifications were changed mid-stream and they were turned into delivery guys yet in the first place they were to procure from the main supplier and send the foodstuff to schools.
They also dismissed as lies the claim that the scheme collapsed because those who lost out during the bidding process were preventing delivery to schools.
“It is diabolical lies to claim that those who did not get the tender are the ones disturbing the supply of food items, whereas it is the main supplier failing to execute this humongous responsibility.”’
The Office of the Premier and the Office of MEC Frazer did not respond when IOL asked to comment on the claims made.
The forum has threatened to take the matter to court in order to force the provincial government to implement changes and preventing the starving of million of learners.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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