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The presidential task team established to investigate the textbook crisis in Limpopo must be independent to truly identify the causes of the crisis and hold those responsible accountable without fear or favour.

The president announced that the task team will be headed by Deputy Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene. The five member team comprises of five Deputy Ministers of National Government. This is highly problematic as the entire process has been riddled with allegations of political interference and corruption on the provincial and national level.

Some of the queries involve the national government itself. This includes the fact that it took over management of the Education Department in Limpopo on 05 December 2011 but did not place orders until May and needed a court order to get it to do its job. Commission members would also have to investigate the Minister of Basic Education, and her alleged links to EduSolutions and why she did not heed calls to investigate tender irregularities and legal opinions to cancel the tender. It would be difficult for the Minister’s colleagues to objectively evaluate the Minister’s actions.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes it is essential that the Presidential task team be independent and headed by a retired Judge. We also propose that it includes Mary Metcalfe who will have first-hand experience on the issues facing the textbook roll-out.

It is critical that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. It must be a mechanism to ensure accountability and best practice methods going forward – not simply a political PR exercise that raises more controversy.

The Limpopo provincial task team led by Director-General Rachel Modipa cannot be expected to deliver objective results as the province has a vested interest to protect its actions and inactions during this saga. This is also a province that has recently had five departments put under administration.

The textbook publishing industry is a billion rand industry. The inquiry must:

• Investigate the allegations of impropriety connected to the tender process, pricing and roll-out;
• establish the responsibilities and mandates of various state officials at different stages of the process, including the ordering process;
• outline clear sanctions for those found guilty of wrongdoing; and
• analyse the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of outsourcing the ordering, delivering and monitoring of textbooks to third parties.

These issues will not be addressed through a commission of inquiry constituted solely of loyal cadres.

An independent inquiry will ensure that the commission conducts its work without fear or favour – no matter how politically uncomfortable the findings may be.