KZN Education Dept denies allegations it wrongfully awarded school nutrition tenders

This follows claims by the National School Nutrition Programme Service Association, which alleges that the bidding process for nutrition tenders had political interference.

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department has denied the allegation of the wrongful awarding of school nutrition tenders.

This follows claims by the National School Nutrition Programme Service Association, which alleges that the bidding process for nutrition tenders had political interference.

Meanwhile, some say the beneficiaries also have close political ties with MEC Sipho Hlomuka.

When asked about this on the sidelines of a school visit in Phoenix, north of Durban, earlier on Tuesday, this is what MEC had to say.

“How can I influence a process that I am not part of? Because I don’t sit in committees, the same committees, the BAC… I’ve never even changed any committee when I joined the department, I never joined any committee.”

Hlomuka said action would be taken if any irregularities were found.

“But if there are things that are done wrongly, those processes must be followed and those people who are fingered in those investigation report must be dealt with.”