PRETORIA, Gauteng — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has voiced strong support for Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s decision to put the new Grade 1 to 3 textbook catalogue on hold, citing serious compliance and governance concerns. DA Member of Parliament and basic education spokesperson Eleanore Bouw-Spies emphasized that the minister’s move to pause the implementation is a necessary exercise of executive oversight, rather than political interference.
The suspension follows an independent investigation and findings from the Auditor-General that highlighted significant weaknesses in transparency, supplier compliance, and potential conflicts of interest surrounding the procurement process. However, a bureaucratic standoff has emerged within the department. The Director General reportedly briefed education stakeholders that the catalogue had received a regulatory green light, omitting the identified deficiencies. Minister Gwarube has condemned this move as illegal and misleading, stressing that no authority was granted to the Director General to contradict her executive directive or bypass the required legal scrutiny.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has entered the fray, calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the escalating dispute. SADTU has accused the minister of overreach and suggested a potential conflict of interest, alleging that the minister’s former chief of staff was employed by Naspers, an entity involved in the current printing and publishing of the textbooks.
Addressing these claims, Eleanore Bouw-Spies firmly rejected the accusations, stating that serious allegations of this nature require concrete evidence. She stressed that insinuations, connections, and conspiracy theories do not constitute proof that the minister interfered in the process to benefit a specific publisher. Bouw-Spies clarified that the minister did not select the textbooks or publishers; rather, she initiated scrutiny due to the significant expenditure involved, which is a fundamental requirement of responsible executive oversight.
When asked if the minister should engage directly with SADTU, Bouw-Spies noted that while it is the minister’s prerogative, the union’s approach of criticizing and taking sides rather than engaging constructively is unfortunate. She reiterated that the DA has also asked the President to intervene to resolve the untenable situation of an administration speaking in direct contradiction to its own minister.
Addressing concerns that the suspension might leave classrooms empty-handed, Bouw-Spies assured the public that the directive is not intended to destabilize the education system. The minister has already issued a clear directive for provinces to proceed with ordering materials based on the existing, approved catalogue. This proactive measure ensures that learners will have the necessary, quality materials to start the upcoming academic year on the right foot, even as the new catalogue undergoes thorough legal and procedural investigation.
Bouw-Spies concluded that where wrongdoing is established, there must be consequences. Accountability, she argued, cannot end with another report gathering dust while a Director General speaks in contradiction of the minister, and the educational interests of learners must remain the ultimate priority throughout the resolution process.
