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News that school feeding scheme suppliers in the Eastern Cape have not been paid since January signals the urgent need for action by the Minister of Basic Education.

100,000 schoolchildren risk losing their daily meals as the provincial department has not paid them for three months. The Education Department in the Eastern Cape admits it owes more than R10 million to 86 suppliers, and seems undecided on when they will be paid.

Newspapers in the Eastern Cape are linking the story to the disappearance of R12 million from the Education Department and an investigation of this theft by the Hawks.

The situation should not have been allowed to get to this point. The national Minister should use her strong persuasive powers to ensure the provincial department pays suppliers immediately. She should also monitor the implementation of school feeding which will cost the fiscus some R3 billion this year, and which is a key part of the department's strategy to improve school results. Her department should not have to find out about this sort of situation in the newspapers. Early action on her part could have avoided the current crisis.

In the past the Eastern Cape government has allowed the theft of millions of Rands in school feeding money, which led to the collapse of school feeding. This must not be allowed to happen again.

Once again government departments are shown to be riddled with corrupt officials. That is a direct consequence of the ANC's cadre deployment policy which appoints people because of their political connections rather than because they are honest and efficient.