The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) education department is engulfed in a scandal after allegations surfaced that the school nutrition tender was rigged to benefit Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka’s political campaign. The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) Service Providers Association is demanding an immediate suspension of the tender, accusing the MEC of favouritism and political interference.
Opposition parties in KZN have joined calls for a thorough investigation into the tender process, highlighting serious concerns over the integrity of the procurement system. The NSNP Service Providers Association claims to possess concrete evidence indicating that the tender was manipulated to advantage companies and individuals aligned with Hlomuka’s ANC leadership ambitions.
The association revealed a leaked list of preselected service providers, asserting that only those who openly supported Hlomuka were positioned to win the lucrative multimillion-rand contract. Thabang Mncwabe, spokesperson for the association, condemned the situation as an abuse of a constitutional programme intended to feed vulnerable children, now allegedly exploited as a political tool.
Mncwabe emphasized that supply chain procedures were deliberately undermined, urging authorities to cancel the current NSNP tender immediately. The association demands a full, transparent, and independent inquiry to restore fairness and accountability to the process.
Tender Rigging Claims and Political Fallout
The KwaZulu-Natal education department has strongly denied any wrongdoing, with MEC Sipho Hlomuka refuting claims that he influenced tender committees. Speaking during a school visit in Phoenix, Hlomuka stated that he has never participated in tender committee meetings. He explained that the tender process is still within the appeals period, and those suspecting irregularities should lodge formal appeals with the Treasury.
“This is not the MEC’s role,” Hlomuka said. “Anyone who feels there is corruption can report it to the Treasury or law enforcement, and we will hold ourselves accountable.”
Despite these denials, the NSNP Service Providers Association urges all current service providers to appeal to the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury to contest the tender awards based on suspected irregularities. The association stressed that the programme’s primary goal is to eliminate hunger, not to serve as a political campaign fund.
Political parties have responded with alarm. The MK Party called for the immediate suspension of what it described as a “rotten and illegal tender process,” warning that South Africans will no longer tolerate political elites exploiting public resources while citizens suffer.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) promised to pursue all legal and political avenues to challenge the tenders, labeling the situation as “criminal looting” of funds meant to feed impoverished children.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally requested KwaZulu-Natal’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) to investigate the tender awards. The DA alleged connections between winning companies and spouses of senior ANC officials, demanding transparency in procurement documentation and adjudication procedures.
ActionSA’s provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango has also called on Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli to urgently investigate the corruption claims. Mncwango expressed concern over the apparent lack of response from the Premier despite his previous commitments to governance and accountability.
The allegations have sparked a political storm in KwaZulu-Natal, with significant pressure mounting for a transparent investigation into the school nutrition tender process and the role of the MEC.
