College questioned on millions for bashes

MPS are demanding that Parliament grill the Tshwane South Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College’s principal over a report that R2.9 million had been spent on student bashes.

This comes after the Sunday Times reported the TVET had earmarked R2.9m of its R15.9m student activities budget for three bashes.

DA spokesperson for higher education Belinda Bozzoli said the party would be writing to Parliament’s higher education and training portfolio committee chairperson Connie September to request that Tshwane South’s principal Joe Chiloane and his staff be invited to answer on the reported figures.

The report revealed that the TVET budgeted R1.2m for Spring Day in September, R900 000 for orientation festival, and R800 000 for Youth Day activities on June 16.

Bozzoli said the money spent on these bashes could have been spent fruitfully.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is said to be investigating a contract awarded by the college for events management services worth close to a million rand.

The college is alleged to have spent about R597 000 on an event which included R193 000 for a local comedian and five artists.

The Department of Higher Education and Training said it was aware of the matter, but refused to comment on it in depth.

Department spokesperson Madikwe Mabotha said the department would await the conclusion of the SIU’s investigation.

“We cannot comment on something that is being investigated. All I know is that there is an investigation that is going on allegations of maladministration, whether there were T-shirts that were bought, I do not know that.

“I think we need to allow that process to unfold without any hindrance. Whatever will come out of that will be a matter decided by a court,” said Mabotha.

The college’s principalChiloane refuted the figure of R2.9m.

“They lumped everything and called it a ‘bash’; it includes other things. In any event, I am running an institution. There are times when students have entertained.

“It cannot be ‘book book waya waya’, and I am not running a primary school. I am running a college, that is why it falls under the Department of Higher Education,” said Chiloane.

He said the money was used for other academic activities including workshops, but refused to provide a figure of how much the college spent on their entertainment and social activities.

“I mean it’s Sunday today, how do I give that figure because I am not in the office. I don’t stay with college documentation, I will be going to work on Tuesday, you will have the figures by then,” said Chiloane. to be

There are times when students have to be entertained