PRETORIA, Gauteng — The ANC Study Group on Education is intensifying its call for the urgent implementation and procurement of the new foundation phase national catalogues for grades 1 to 3, escalating tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU). The group has strongly criticized Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube over what it describes as a unilateral decision to suspend the catalogue’s rollout, despite independent investigations clearing the process of fraud.
Tshepo Louw, representing the ANC Study Group, pushed back against the suspension, emphasizing that the halt jeopardizes the critical 2027 deadline for learners to receive their textbooks. This timeline is especially vital due to the rollout of a new curriculum that incorporates emerging subjects like robotics. Louw clarified that while the study group initially called for the minister, deputy minister, and Director General Mr. Matanzima Mweli to be held accountable in May 2026 over allegations surrounding the catalog process, subsequent probes have exonerated the leadership of any wrongdoing.
According to Louw, four independent bodies investigated the procurement process: the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), independent investigators commissioned by the department (Rakoma), the department’s internal legal advice services, and senior counsel. He stated that all four entities found no evidence of fraud, manipulation, or favoritism. Instead, their unified recommendation was to proceed with the procurement while strengthening policy alignment and documentation in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
The administrative head of the department, Headcom, led by Director General Matanzima, had already issued guidelines to provincial departments to proceed with procurement while reinforcing these policy safeguards. Louw argued that Minister Gwarube’s decision to block the process lacks legal backing and contradicts the evidence-based findings of the independent reviews.
Minister Gwarube has defended her suspension of the catalogues, citing the need to protect public money and address alleged irregularities. Concerns had been raised in public reports that a company, Lighthouse Publishers, was awarded 26% of the total approvals for publishing learning materials for grades 1 to 3, despite being registered merely three days after the contract specifications were issued.
However, Louw maintained that the independent bodies reviewed all evidence pertaining to the publishers and found no irregularities warranting a complete halt. He emphasized that the new procurement process is projected to save approximately 3 billion rand compared to the previous system. The ANC Study Group is now urging the minister to align her administrative powers with the law, work collaboratively with the department’s leadership, and ensure that learners receive their educational materials without further delay.
