THE South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has misgivings about the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's undertaking that textbooks will be delivered timeously to schools in Limpopo next year.

Last week Motshekga assured the country that all schools would have their textbooks delivered when the academic term starts in January.

Sadtu provincial secretary Matome Raphasha said yesterday that Motshekga had made a similar promise around this time last year, but had failed to live up to expectations, hence their doubts and misgivings.

"As Sadtu we view the promise by Motshekga to deliver the textbooks on time as a public relations exercise," Raphasha said. "This is exactly what she she had said in 2011, and even then books were still not delivered."

Following the widely-publicised textbook-dumping incident in Limpopo this year, books for fully sighted pupils were delivered to Siloe School for the Blind in Thokgoaneng Village outside Polokwane, making it difficult for pupils, who need Braille to catch up with their syllabus. The department had to recall the books.

Raphasha said the department had not held a stakeholders' meeting to update them on what the textbook delivery plans are for next year.

"All stakeholders are still in the dark about what the minister has said, except to be told through the media that the books had been ordered," he said.

But Basic Education Department spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said it was unfair for the union to "start making noise now, " before the December 15 deadline. - frankm@sowetan.co.za