Note to Editors: Find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA North West Spokesperson on Education, Gavin Edwards.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, requesting the immediate dismissal of the Administrator, Johannes Mohlala, for his failure to bring about any significant improvement to the North West Department of Education since it was placed under Administration in terms of Section 100(1)(b) in 2018.
During a virtual Portfolio Committee meeting in the Provincial Legislature today, the Administrator was forcefully removed after he failed to expound on the allegations of tenders awarded to his son.
He further refused to supply reasons for the recent suspension of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) after agreeing to do so in a previous meeting. The CFO was placed on precautionary suspension, without formal charges being presented to him or the Committee. When the Administrator was requested to explain the situation, he simply muted his microphone.
This utter contempt is evident of the Administrator’s lack of integrity and points to his determination to sidestep all forms of accountability.
The Administrator has a Constitutional obligation in terms of Section 115 to account for his actions and was given a fair opportunity on two separate occasions to clarify his involvement in tender irregularities and to provide insight into the suspension of the Department’s CFO, but instead has chosen to play a game of cat and mouse.
Since the department was placed under administration, the Administrator, who resides in Gauteng, could not succeed in reaching annual targets and failed to make any meaningful contribution to the Department’s financial health, the infrastructure of schools or the quality of education.
This situation again underscores the inefficiency of interventions across the province. The residents of North West deserve better than the substandard Education system forced on them by the incompetence of accounting officers.