The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has lodged a formal complaint with the Public Protector, demanding an urgent investigation into the Gauteng Department of Education’s (GDE) questionable payment of over R1.8 billion to the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG).
The DA’s call for action follows revelations uncovered in a response from Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, which detailed that the GDE paid a staggering R1,868,760,369.50 to MGSLG between 2019 and 2024.
These funds were allegedly allocated for “cutting-edge” capacity-building programmes for school management and leadership, as well as teacher development initiatives.
Shockingly, these payments continued even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools were closed and educational activities were severely disrupted.
“It is inconceivable that such an enormous sum could have been spent productively over five years, especially during a period when schools were not operational,” said Michael Waters, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Education.
“I have referred this matter to the Public Protector for a thorough forensic investigation. We need to determine whether any of these funds were diverted to third parties with no legitimate role in delivering value for these programmes.”
Waters also confirmed that he will submit follow-up questions to MEC Chiloane, demanding a detailed breakdown of how the funds were used, including specifics on the training programmes offered and their outcomes.
The DA has raised further concerns about the composition of MGSLG’s board, which appears to be dominated by individuals with close ties to the ANC.
The board includes:
- Tseliso Ledimo, Chairperson and Provincial Secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), an ANC alliance partner.
- Jacob Khawe, Deputy Chairperson and former Gauteng ANC Provincial Secretary (2018–2022).
- Maupe (George) Matjila, ANC Regional Secretary for the City of Tshwane.
- Tlangi Mogale, a prominent ANC member and former ANC Youth League presidential candidate.
“The board of MGSLG reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the ANC, raising serious questions about potential conflicts of interest and the misuse of public funds,” Waters added.
This R1.8 billion expenditure is particularly alarming given the GDE’s ongoing failure to pay electricity bills for some of Gauteng’s poorest schools, severely disrupting teaching and learning.
The DA Gauteng will continue to push for a comprehensive review of all government spending to ensure accountability, transparency, and value for taxpayers’ money.
“The era of gross mismanagement and abuse of public funds must come to an end,” Waters concluded.
