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The DA is highly concerned over irregularities in the Mpumalanga Education Department’s payments to EduSolutions, and therefore urgently calls on Education MEC Reginah Mhaule to immediately appoint an independent forensic investigator to investigate all dealings with this company.

Information in the DA’s possession shows a number of irregularities in the relationship between the Department and EduSolutions:

• Invoices are not detailed, giving no clarity on what is being paid for;
• officials sign receipt and authorise payments without proper authorisation and without confirming proof of delivery;
• irregularities in the discounts given to the department; and
• non-discountable items are unilaterally decided, and were not included in original tender documentation.

Furthermore, the DA has been reliably informed that since our first revelations of irregularities, departmental officials started shredding documentation that may implicate either themselves, or EduSolutions.

Should these allegations prove to be true, then MEC Mhaule and departmental officials are either purposely or unknowingly trying to cover up potential criminal actions. The entire education department/EduSolutions relationship must be investigated by an independent forensic auditor.

To this end, the DA will write to the MEC and demand that she engage the services of a reputable firm, and make all documentation pertaining to EduSolutions available for audit.