WHILE the Democratic Alliance has been protesting the non-delivery and destruction of textbooks in Limpopo, the Western Cape ANC yesterday claimed that three schools in Cape Town have been without textbooks since the start of the school year.

In a symbolic gesture, ANC provincial chairman Marius Fransman yesterday delivered textbooks to Wallacedene Primary, near Kraaifontein.

ANC provincial treasurer Fezile Calana said while there were more than 250 pupils in Grade 1 to 3, only 20 textbooks had been delivered by the provincial education department.

But department spokeswoman Bronagh Casey dismissed the ANC's claims, saying they were misleading the public.

She said the schools visited by the ANC and SA Democratic Teachers Union had received textbooks worth more than R1.2-million - adding that the ANC was trivialising the Limpopo books shortage controversy.

Heinie Brand, the department's director, said there were shortages owing to "printer's provision".

Bloemkombos Primary School head Thula Batyi said they had been allocated R384000 after placing an order last August.

"We are struggling," he said.