By: Khethiwe Mndawe
A controversial procurement scandal in the Mpumalanga Department of Education has raised serious concerns over corruption, mismanagement, and irregular spending—prompting the Head of Department (HOD), Lucy Moyane, to take a sudden month-long leave of absence. The scandal centers around the Department’s purchase of 22 laptops at an eyebrow-raising total cost of R2,020,883.45—an average of R91,858 per unit.
The storm erupted following a provincial legislature session, where Education MEC Landulile “Cathy” Dlamini disclosed the details of the transaction. Public outrage grew swiftly, with civil society and political opposition calling for accountability and transparency. Soon afterward, the department’s HOD, Moyane, quietly stepped away from her duties, further fueling suspicions.
Premier Mandla Ndlovu held a press conference this week to address the scandal and provide updates on the ongoing investigation. However, rather than calming public concern, his statements raised even more questions.
“Departmental officials irregularly specified the brand they required, instead of defining the functional needs,” said Ndlovu. “This led to a situation where only certain suppliers—mostly those representing a specific brand—were able to respond. Furthermore, the bidding process was limited geographically to the Mbombela area, which violated procurement policy.”
According to the Premier, an internal investigation revealed that some officials misled departmental leadership and colluded with the service provider in a potential act of fraud. Despite the order stating that high-end Dell XPS 16 laptops were required, the supplier delivered substandard devices—allegedly not matching the approved specifications.
“The service provider did not comply with the specifications in the purchase order. They delivered laptops of lesser quality than what was paid for—yet the Department of Education still accepted the delivery,” Ndlovu revealed.
The procurement was facilitated through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), raising further questions about oversight mechanisms and accountability at both provincial and national levels.
In response to the findings, the Premier’s office has recommended several key actions:
- Recovery of financial losses from the service provider.
- Filing a case with SAPS for fraud, bribery, and corruption.
- Blacklisting of the implicated service provider.
- Disciplinary proceedings against at least eight implicated officials, with the possibility of extending the probe to include the MEC and HOD, depending on further findings.
- A full governance and compliance review within the Department of Education’s procurement and IT divisions.
Ndlovu also indicated that broader reforms are underway to tighten the procurement of consumables and IT equipment across the department.
“We assure the public that transparency is our priority. A detailed report on the investigation’s findings, including accountability measures, will be released by June 2025,” he said.
As the investigation continues, political analysts warn that the case could become a litmus test for the province’s anti-corruption stance and influence public confidence in government spending ahead of next year’s local elections.
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