The department and non-governmental organisation Section 27 have decided to get an independent verification of the progress reports relating to delivery.

The department said 100% of the books were delivered to the foundation phase and only 3% of Grade 10s did not have books.

The Democratic Alliance's education shadow minister Annette Lovemore said that at least 129 schools in Limpopo had not received any books, received the wrong books or did not receive enough books.

Last month the department was ordered by the Pretoria High Court to deliver books to Limpopo after the NGO Section 27 made an application.

Section 27's Mark Heywood said the department needed to stop blaming teachers and take responsibility.

"This should be a shared responsibility. The department must also conduct an investigation into EduSolutions and textbook corruption in general."

The department's spokesman, Panyaza Lesufi, said they had approached the Nelson Mandela Foundation to convene an education summit between Minister Angie Motshekga and education NGOs.

Lovemore and DA national spokesman Mmusi Maimane said they would march to the Limpopo education department offices in Polokwane on Monday.

The department's director-general Bobby Soobrayan said it was hard to deliver the books on a tight schedule.

"The project of the procurement and delivery of stationery and textbooks to schools would ordinarily be carried out within a cycle of 10 to 20 months.

"Given the urgency and the importance of the exercise, a communique was issued to district and circuit officials for principals to make themselves available for the delivery of textbooks to schools."

Soobrayan said by Wednesday morning 97% of all Grade 10 textbooks were delivered from central warehouse and 100% of the Grade 1 to 3 textbooks were delivered from the warehouse.

He said there were problems at warehouses in Thohoyandou because of distributors who did not turn up for their consignments despite being reminded.

"After learning about the Thohoyandou problem, resources were immediately deployed to Thohoyandou to deal with the delivery problems there.

"We were disappointed to learn that some school principals were reported to have refused to come to their respective schools to receive the delivered consignments," Soobrayan said.

He said disciplinary action would be taken against principals who had refused to go to schools.

Lovemore said they had asked Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate why textbooks had not been delivered on time in the province.

"We are not asking for an investigation into EduSolutions because that is being done by the Treasury. We will be looking closely at the investigation.

"What we want to know is why books were not delivered to schools in the first place. We also want the minister to form a commission of inquiry.

"We would prefer an independent commission headed by a judge, but if she does not take it up we will form our own." - monamat@sowetan.co.za

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Sun May 19 07:36:06 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 29, 2012

PleaseGetReal1

How can you sleep at night knowing that 5000 schools did not receive their books for almost 6 months?

What kind of person can do that?

Will she get fired?

Will she get a golden handshake?

Will she be moved to another department?

Where is the ancyl marching for the removal of the minister or are they benefiting from some illegal deal with the text books.
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Jun 29, 2012

Mellow

THE Department of Basic Education is confident that 99% of the 5000 schools in Limpopo had received their textbooks by the deadline
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Deadline in end of June right?
99% wow what an achievement guess you all proud of yourselves, bunch of useless incompetent idiots.
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Jun 29, 2012

sarmologadi

Misnister of education and all her allies in limpopo inclduding mathale mst go, dis is a disgrace to our nation and to the future of this country and yet they expcet de kids to pass at the end of the year!!!!! mxmmmm
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Jun 29, 2012

1tsotsi

Almost doesnt count, now zuma's intervantion is coming back to haunt him and his ineffective national government. What was he thinking?
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Jun 29, 2012

BaleliM

Did i see 2 boxes delivered to a school on the news last night? Pathetic how they expect 2 boxes to go around over 500 students!!
This is the worst that our govt could have done. Seriously, they can not deliver on basic needs? mxxim.
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Jun 29, 2012

Pitbull123

Lovemore said they had asked Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate why textbooks had not been delivered on time in the province.

I think the ToR should also include why the textbooks were never delivered in the fisrt place, was it not because of s27 organization most of us South African we wouldn't have known about this problem.

They promised 100% delivery and now they are telling us its 99,9% delivered, what about the 0.01%. It might look like small but they promised 100% so they should delivered 100% then maybe we might find a place in our hearts to forgive them. The minister is arrogant in hear reply to this, her apology doesn't convince us.
Come year end the black results are low yet again.
Thanks to Mrk Heywood's organization and the DA for taking this up so seriously. The ANC is not vociferous in this matter, they are taking it light maybe because it was committed by one of their own.
If it was committed by someone outside their camp they would be telling us about marching against an incompetent and yet arrogant minister.
The people of South Africa need an explanation in the form of someone up there resigning or being forced to resign then we can sleep well and say South africa takes its education serious.
Aluta continua!!!
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Jun 29, 2012

SOLUTIONS

Remove the anc

The power should be in the hands of the people, not an few elite.
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Jun 29, 2012

DJWinner

SOLUTIONS
Remove the anc

The power should be in the hands of the people, not an few elite.
.................................................................................................
Did you know that each country must have a government? Removing ANC and replacing with nothing is not going to work. Who will govern people? So you see now your comment is useless?
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Jun 29, 2012

SOLUTIONS

DJWinner,

Ok, I see you need a full description, Remove the anc and put a capable party in government, the anc are more useless that snake dung on the bottom of the ocean.
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Jun 29, 2012

MGEEZ

Fire the Minister; the President and the ruling party. It's time for a prty that is going to do the will of the people to come to power; ANYParty But the ANC!!!!
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