The EFF provincial secretary, Bosanku Msimanga, has rubbished claims by the provincial Department of Education that the work done by KST to build classes in schools around the province was a 50/50 partnership in any way. OFM News sent an enquiry to the department.

Msimanga, during a press conference on Monday, highlighted that contrary to what the department has said, the department exclusively handed the work to KST as a tender. He says this then resulted in irregular expenditure of R500 million whilst KST only came to the table with R280 million. Msimango says the party was made to believe the above projects were not awarded in line with the constitution but the forensic investigation stated otherwise.  

"If you check this project, was there competitiveness? No! Comrade MEC Tate Makgoe fetched his own comrade Cyril Ramaphosa and exclusively gave him a tender. Even if they dress this and write 'partnership', it's not a partnership. It's clear a tender was given to KST for building classrooms there," he adds.

Msimanga promised to take the matter to even the highest court in the country to expose the alleged irregularities. They want the department to come clean.

Previously President Ramaphosa said KST never received a tender for the construction of schools in the Free State. "KST did not operate in the construction industry. The nature of KST’s investments and operations are publicly available," he said.

It's said that the Shanduka Foundation, a non-profit organisation established by President Ramaphosa in 2002, has made substantial contributions to the development of township and rural schools. 

"In 2013 the Shanduka Foundation committed R100 million to a school development project in the Free State, alongside the Kagiso Trust (which also made a R100 million commitment) and the Free State Department of Education (which made a commitment to match these contributions).

This project, originally known as the Kagiso Shanduka Trust and now simply as KST, has to date facilitated the contribution of around R280 million from foundations and private sector donors to schools in the Free State," Ramaphosa said in a statement.

OFM News