Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has called on the Auditor-General of South Africa, Tsakani Maluleke, to urgently launch a forensic audit into the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) spending for the 2024/25 financial year.
The request comes in the wake of allegations of mismanagement, unpaid contractors, and neglect throughout the country’s public education system.
Lack of accountability
In the letter seen by Sunday World, Maimane expressed concern over the lack of accountability for the previous year’s education budget.
“It would be reckless and irresponsible to allocate another tranche of more than R300-billion to a department plagued by unresolved irregularities, widespread underspending, and chronic service delivery failures without first accounting for how last year’s funding was used or misused,” said Maimane.
“This is vital to renewing and fixing basic education in South Africa,” he added.
He highlighted a growing crisis of hunger in schools caused by unpaid nutrition contractors. Also children being forced to walk long distances to schools due to non-payment of scholar transport providers. And lastly, unsafe, overcrowded classrooms resulting from failures in infrastructure spending.
Teacher shortage
He also noted a worsening teacher shortage due to underfunded staffing budgets.
The letter also cited that over 8 222 schools require additional classrooms at a cost of R32-billion. And 13 485 schools need more toilets, estimated at R14-billion.
However, he said, only R15.3-million was made available through the Education Infrastructure Grant. He described this figure as shockingly inadequate, given the scale of the need.
“Moreover, province-level crises have exposed how the department’s failure to monitor and support provincial education delivery results in chaos. In KwaZulu-Natal, NSNP providers remain unpaid after a R2-billion scandal. This put food security for millions of learners at risk.
“In Gauteng, more than 1 million learners were affected by delays in appointing new nutrition contractors in 2024. In the North West and Eastern Cape, scholar transport operators report non-payment since January, leaving children stranded. The Northern Cape faced a R358-million education budget shortfall,” said Maimane.
Violation of constitution
He added that a R3.8-billion staffing deficit and a 21% vacancy rate are placing severe pressure on schools.
Maimane further explained in the letter that this situation is not merely a result of poor management. He said it represents a violation of the constitutional right to basic education. A direct attack on the future of South African children, he added.
Maimane also called on Maluleke to exercise the powers granted under Section 5A of the Public Audit Act. This empowers her to take binding remedial action and refer any findings of misconduct for prosecution or further investigation.
“We cannot afford another year of failed, opaque, and harmful budgeting. A forensic investigation into the 2024/2025 budget is not only necessary for accountability — it is essential for the credibility of the 2025/2026 allocation process now underway in Parliament,” said Maimane.
