Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has apologised to thousands of education assistants for the non-payment of September stipends, saying the state started making payments this morning.
However, this was disputed by an education assistant who said they were yet to be remunerated.
According to Gwarube, the payments, due on September 30, were held up by administrative bottlenecks in verifying attendance registers, a safeguard against fraud.
Gwarube, addressing the media on Wednesday at the GCIS auditorium in Pretoria alongside representatives from the Department of Employment and Labour, Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), she confirmed funds began flowing at 10 am.
Delays blamed on incorrect data
“I would like to begin by acknowledging the hardship this delay has caused to our education assistants,” she said.
“Many of these young people depend on their stipends to support themselves and their families. When payments are delayed, it affects people’s ability to meet their most basic needs. Such as food, transport, accommodation and toiletries. It affects their dignity.”
The Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), a flagship youth programme employing over 150,000 assistants in schools, relies on a multi-agency partnership for funding and disbursement.
Gwarube explained that schools and provincial departments caused the delays. They failed to upload full biometric-verified attendance data by the deadline, stalling UIF approval for IDC release.
“A system of administrative checks and balances, which was meant to safeguard public funds, buckled under pressure. And it failed to ensure the timeous payment of stipends,” she stated.
Only IDC-paid assistants were affected. Those funded via National Treasury received payments on schedule.
System implemented to prevent fraud
“We know all too well how well-meaning projects are often infiltrated and compromised by corrupt elements who wish to fleece the state.”
Looking ahead, Gwarube recommitted to the programme’s integrity.
“This initiative provides not only income. It provides work experience, training, and a pathway into the world of work for over 150,000 young South Africans. We owe it to these young people and to the schools and learners who depend on their contribution to manage this programme with diligence, excellence, integrity and compassion. We dare not fail again.”
She reassured affected workers.
“You will receive what is due to you. We will not allow this situation to happen again. We are building stronger systems to ensure that payments are reliable, timely, and transparent.”
Affected teachers blame sloppy processes
However, according to Makeke Sabani said they have not received the payment. He is one of the education assistants and a spokesperson. Sabani said the system has been inconsistent since June.
“With this system in place, a lot of things within the schooling structure get affected. We did not have an attendance register, so we made up our own. So when the department later introduced its biometric register it marked some people absent on the days it had not been introduced,” explained Sabani.
He further said the delay has affected their lives as some of their insurance policies had lapsed.
“We have responsibilities at home. We pay rent and have life cover [policies], so with these issues we find ourselves stressed. Our hope is that the department learnt from this and will implement its promises. When schools re-open we will go back because we know how valuable our job is. Trials will be in full swing, so we are needed the most,” he added.
