The department of basic education has recovered more than R200000 from fraudulent Kha Ri Gude programme volunteers who claimed to have taught learners when they had not.

However, auditor-general Kimi Makwetu revealed that the department had fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R44.3-million as a result of the programme.

Kha Ri Gude was established nine years ago to eradicate illiteracy among adults.

The campaign has enrolled 4386251 learners and hired 341087 volunteers .

In his consolidated report last year on the national and provincial audit outcomes, Makwetu said the R44.3-million was allegedly paid to 6172 fraudulent volunteers.

But deputy director-general of curriculum policy, support and monitoring Mamiki Maboya told parliament recently that the department has always disputed the amount and did not agree with the extent of money spent, so it instituted an internal investigation to confirm the amount.

She said the report from the independent investigating firm found "that the actual fruitless and wasteful expenditure amount is R1.2-million and not R44-million".

An amount of R202297.23 was found to have been paid to the 6172 fraudulent volunteers and the department has so far recovered R281 838.53.

Department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said yesterday that an investigation had uncovered that some of the volunteers registered dead people to study through Kha Ri Gude.

Other people were found to have been registered for the programme without their knowledge.

Mhlanga said the department would be meeting with Makwetu's office today to discuss the independent findings and it is only then that the department will be in a position to provide comprehensive feedback on the way forward.

The department was considering laying criminal charges against those that have been found to have defrauded it.