By Levy Masiteng
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has rejected claims that it has been placed under administration, dismissing online reports of such as “false and misleading”.
The department issued the clarification after claims circulated that the provincial education department was facing national government intervention under Section 100 of the Constitution.
Section 100 allows the national executive to intervene when a province cannot or does not fulfil an executive obligation.
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Such an intervention may include issuing a directive to the province or, where necessary, assuming responsibility for the relevant obligation.
If responsibility is assumed, the national executive must notify the National Council of Provinces within 14 days, and the intervention is subject to parliamentary approval and review.
The rumours gained traction amid ongoing scrutiny over financial and operational pressures in the department, including budget constraints, accruals, staffing pressures and concerns about the delivery of education services.
However, the department insisted that no intervention had been approved.
“The department has not been placed under administration,” it said.
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“Any decision to place a provincial department under administration is a significant executive action that can only be authorised by the National Cabinet and must be formally communicated through an official Cabinet statement. No such Cabinet decision or statement has been issued.”
The department added that there was “no decision taken by the National Cabinet to invoke Section 100 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and place the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education under administration”.
The department warned the public against relying on unverified social media claims.
