AT LEAST 2,485 KwaZulu-Natal teachers are conducting business with the department of education.

They have been mainly providing transportation services, catering for state events and supplying food for the government's nutrition programme.

The KZN department of education told members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) yesterday that in the past two financial years 3314 of its employees were doing business with it.

Head of department Nkosinathi Sishi said 75% of these were teachers.

All public servants were requested to furnish the department with confirmation of whether they were granted permission to conduct business with it.

A total of 1,372 who did not respond have been charged with misconduct.

The amount paid to teachers for work other than educating pupils was not yet known.

Legislators yesterday said they were puzzled that teachers found time to conduct their businesses when their core employment function was to educate pupils.

Education MEC Senzo Mchunu said he had often called for public servants to stop doing business with the department.

"[But] workers continue to do business with the department.

"This is the area of untold stubbornness on the part of officials. No matter how many times we tell them not to do business with the department, they continue," Mchunu said.