School funding crisis sparks heated clash in NC

AS FINANCIAL strain tightens its grip on Northern Cape schools, a heated political showdown has erupted over who is to blame.

With the Democratic Alliance (DA) raising concerns about financial mismanagement and the Northern Cape Department of Education pushing back against claims of fiscal recklessness, the real question remains - how will this funding battle affect the province’s learners?

The DA has welcomed the commitment by the MEC for Finance, Venus Blennies, and the MEC for Education, Abraham Vosloo, to provide regular updates to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature on the financial constraints schools are facing. However, the party remains critical of what it describes as a history of poor financial decision-making by the department.

According to the DA, the provincial Department of Education has admitted to short-term cash flow challenges but continues to struggle with deeper financial mismanagement issues. The party pointed to a R587 million shortfall for the current financial year, citing budget cuts and unfunded wage agreements as key contributing factors. It also accused the department of "bad financial judgment", referencing a staggering R3.9 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure.

“As the department entered the current financial year with an accrual-adjusted deficit of R127 million and outstanding debt exceeding R510 million, 60% of which was owed for more than 30 days, it is non-negotiable that every cent must be spent wisely,” the DA stated.

One of the party’s biggest concerns is the underutilisation of operational conditional grants, with figures from December 2024 showing that only 69% of the allocated funds had been spent.

The DA highlighted the impact on vulnerable learners, noting that some school hostels struggled to feed students, while early childhood development (ECD) centres had to rely on external donations. The party also noted that spending on critical grants, such as the Early Childhood Development Grant (64%) and the National School Nutrition Programme Grant (69%), also fell short of expectations.

Education Department Rejects Allegations

The Northern Cape Department of Education has strongly refuted the DA’s claims, dismissing them as inaccurate and misleading.

Department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe accused the DA of misrepresenting facts presented during a recent meeting with the joint portfolio committees of education and finance.

“The information presented in their statement is misleading and contradicts the facts presented by the department. This misrepresentation is a severe indictment of the DA members serving on these committees, highlighting their lack of understanding of the education sector, the department’s finances, and their responsibilities as members of the provincial legislature,” Van der Merwe said.

The department maintains that it provided a comprehensive overview of the financial situation to the portfolio committees and that all members had an opportunity to engage with officials. Van der Merwe further emphasised that the financial challenges are not unique to the Northern Cape, as provinces across South Africa are facing similar constraints due to budget cuts.

The department, he added, adheres to a transparent and accountable financial governance framework, with oversight authorities such as the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) finding no instances of financial mismanagement.

“Although the funding gap in the 2024/25 financial year is substantial - representing approximately 8.33% of the equitable share budget - and it poses a severe cash flow challenge, the department remains committed to sound financial governance, robust internal controls, and prudent financial management, as evaluated by various established mechanisms, including internal audits,” Van der Merwe concluded.

The Road Ahead: Can Schools Survive the Shortfall?

As political parties continue their battle over school funding, the province’s learners remain caught in the middle. The DA and the Department of Education have both vowed to prioritise education, but the reality of shrinking budgets, rising costs, and underfunded schools suggests that the situation may get worse before it improves.

With budget reviews and additional oversight measures on the horizon, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Northern Cape schools will receive the financial stability they desperately need - or if the funding crisis will continue to jeopardise the future of thousands of learners.