Education dept deluged by court action

SOME 171 new civil actions were instituted in the last financial year against the Eastern Cape education department, 59 of them related to similar applications brought by 59 suppliers for the School Nutrition Programmer whose tenders were cancelled in 2004.

The 59 cases are all claims for a loss of profits and some are for amounts as high as R3 million.

Other cases involve the expulsion of pupils from Queens College, the filling of the post of principal at Sydenham Primary and even one involving a pupil who was appointed as a prefect and then demoted.

Replying to a written question from Donald Smiles (DA) Education MEC Johnny Makgato says that most of the applications were still pending and one had been decided in favour of the department. He added that there had been no civil actions instituted connected to irregularities relating to the appointment of officials to senior positions.