MEC Ms Lindi Masina appearing before SCOPA for the first time since her Appointment as the MEC for Education in Mpumalanga.Picture Credit: MPL
By Thulane Madalane
Mbombela: On Thursday, the Select Committee for Public Accounts (SCOPA), led by Chairperson Mr. Desmond Moela, convened a meeting with the Department of Education at the Govan Mbeki foyer in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature. The focus of the meeting was to review the progress made on the house resolution concerning the renovation of the guardhouse in Kanyamazane, located within the Mbombela Local Municipality.
Opening the meeting, Chairperson Moela provided a comprehensive overview of events since the issue was initially brought to SCOPA’s attention. The MEC for Education, Ms. Lindi Masina, attended the gathering for the first time since her recent appointment. She expressed gratitude to the committee for its oversight role and subsequently handed the floor to her senior officials for a detailed progress report.
Chief Director Mr. Manyabeane, acting on behalf of the Head of Department (HOD), presented findings from a forensic report that investigated irregularities related to the renovation process. He informed the committee that consequence management measures are set to be implemented against officials implicated in these irregularities. Notably, he confirmed that a panel will be appointed by October 31, 2025, to facilitate the disciplinary hearings starting on November 3, 2025. The action will extend to the suspended Accounting Officer and the district director, who failed to prevent irregular expenditure.
Committee members expressed significant concerns regarding the department’s apparent reluctance to enhance internal controls and insisted on a commitment to preventing future issues. They sought clarity regarding the roles of the implicated officials and raised questions about the prolonged period the department has operated without a director for infrastructure. Additionally, members criticized the ongoing renovation of the guardhouse, noting that it is undergoing its second renovation yet remains unused.
MEC Masina acknowledged the need for accountability and remarked, “We will use the matter of the guardhouse as a learning curve for the department. It is essential that we take accountability and work towards correcting our mistakes rather than being defensive.” She committed to providing the necessary documentation to the committee to facilitate transparency.
The committee members urged the department to handle the matter with integrity to enable them to account effectively to the public as members of the Provincial Legislature. They also called for respect between department officials and the committee members.
The department was mandated to provide SCOPA with a detailed forensic report, letters from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), correspondence to the service provider regarding the recoupment of R194,000, and the service provider’s commitment to repay the funds. These documents are expected to be submitted to the committee by October 21, 2025.
