Press Statement by Annerie Weber: MPL – DA Spokesperson on Education: Mpumalanga Province
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga has written to Premier Mandla Ndlovu asking him to follow the recommendations of the Forensic Investigation Report by reporting former Education MEC, Cathy Dlamini, to the Public Protector to be also investigated for the laptop scandal that hit the province recently.
The laptop scandal started in December 2024 when the Provincial Department of Education purchased 22 laptops through BoTau Technologies, a company which was eventually found to have overcharged the department and unduly benefitted by failing to deliver the agreed specified laptops that the department paid for. The scandal was exposed by a whistleblower in February 2025, which led to the forensic investigation that was initiated by the Premier.
A detailed Forensic Report seen by the DA, recommends that Premier Ndlovu must also report former Education MEC, Cathy Dlamini, to the Public Protector to be investigated for the laptop scandal whereby her department irregularly paid over R2 million for 22 laptops at a cost of R92 000 each.
Initially, the forensic investigators concentrated on the investigation of the Head of the Department (HOD), Lucy Moyane, and other senior departmental officials for the laptop scandal.
In May last year, as recommended by the forensic report, the Premier suspended HOD Moyane and the other implicated senior education departmental officials, after the forensic probe revealed gross procurement irregularities and alleged dishonesty in connection with the laptop scandal.
But the Premier omitted to report the former MEC to the Public Protector, as recommended by the forensic report, to be also investigated in terms of Section 4(1)(b) of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act 82 of 1998, as an accounting executive of the department. Dlamini eventually lost her job as MEC of Education after the laptop scandal.
The DA also wants to remind the Premier and the Mpumalanga Provincial Government that the forensic investigators recommended that they must immediately commence with the processes of blacklisting the Service Provider, BoTau Technologies, on the National Treasury Register for Tender Defaulters for overcharging the education department for the laptops, and for acting in a grossly dishonest manner during the forensic investigation.
As recommended by the forensic investigators, the DA will also write to the current MEC of Education, Lindi Masina, asking her to report any possible criminal acts, such as collusion, to the relevant law enforcement agencies in terms of the Public Finance Management Act of 1999, and the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.
The DA also wants the new MEC and her department to conduct lifestyle audits, as recommended by the forensic investigators, on all the senior departmental officials who were implicated in the laptop scandal.