ACTis has raised two flags for the Mpumalanga DoE and placed three under monitoring.
The exploitation of weak internal financial and procurement systems within the Mpumalanga DoE is a major cause for concern, revealing a pattern of collusion and systemic corruption.
Weak internal controls, qualified audit outcomes and ongoing investigations collectively indicate that oversight mechanisms are either ineffective or slow to address irregularities. This dynamic may allow problematic practices to persist for extended periods.
However, law enforcement activity, arrests of implicated individuals and the partial recovery of misappropriated funds indicate that important measures are being taken to ensure accountability for misconduct.
The removal of high-ranking officials, including the former acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the MEC for Education, along with an investigation into the HoD, indicate some progress in holding leadership accountable for misconduct.
The quality of learning environments for pupils in Mpumalanga is deteriorating because of overcrowding and infrastructure backlogs, which are linked to the Department’s weak financial management and poor service delivery.