Covid-19 no excuse for cheating, matric learners warned
DEPUTY President David Mabuza yesterday pleaded with military veterans to exercise patience while the government tackled obstacles that had delayed the processes that would enable them to access benefits.
Mabuza was addressing military veterans at an event aimed to give them an update on the progress on facilitating access to services and benefits in Cape Town.
Mabuza said that the presidential task team’s visit to the province was an opportunity for them to reflect on the obstacles that might delay the process to enable veterans’ access to benefits such as pension, housing, health services and education.
“The biggest obstacle that we need to finalise and resolve is management of the Department of Military Veterans database of all our military veterans. That must be concluded without delay,” he said.
Mabuza said the presidential
THE Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said the irregular payments to “ghost” employees in the Community Works Programmes (CWP) have significantly decreased from the R1.2 million recorded two years ago.
Speaking during a question session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Deputy Minister Thembi Nkadimeng said controls were put in place on the CWP in 2021 and that has significantly reduced the value of payments made to deceased participants.
“Starting from a high of R1.2m in the 2021 financial year, we moved down to R245 000 and under the
MILITARY veteran Fumanekile Booi was among many who had questions for Deputy President David Mabuza, who in his capacity as Chairperson of the Presidential Task Team, visited the Western Cape yesterday to engage with the members. | PHANDO JIKELO
task team had reached a milestone in approving the veterans’ pension policy.
“Currently, it is work in progress on the regulation in order to ensure that these pension benefits are paid out,” he said to shouts of “When?” and the clapping of hands from the audience.
“We are aware of the deficit that needs to be urgently filled by this policy, and we appeal to our military current review, we have reduced to R75 000. All the verified payments made to implementing agents are recovered,” Nkadimeng said.
She was replying to ANC MP Dikeledi Direko, who said the CWP was one of her department’s biggest expenditure programmes which has provided work to more than 230 000 participants in 2021.
Direko said challenges have dampened the programme’s impact in the form of poor implementation and project management by implementing agents as well as irregular and fruitless expenditure on “ghost” employees.
Nkadimeng noted that the department implemented the CWP policy from October 2021.
“It significantly improved control
just to exercise a bit of patience. We are almost there,” Mabuza said.
“It is our wish that (the issue will be resolved) come December,” he said, as the crowd clapped.
Head of department Irene Mpolweni said there was a R39 million budget set aside to pay the pensions, and the amount would increase in the next financial year to R102m, and incrementally increase in the measures related to expenditure and the role of what implementing agents are supposed to do. We ‘ve moved from disclaimer audit to qualified audit.”
DA MP Rochelle Spies asked whether Nkadimeng has been informed that some CWP implementing agents found guilty of paying “ghost” workers were in line again for the renewal of their contracts. She also wanted to know if these agents found guilty of paying “ghost” workers have been reported to the
following financial years. The veterans heard that the pension benefits would be paid once Parliament passed the regulations for the pension policy.
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise said: “We do acknowledge that we have been slow.”
The veterans were briefed about the numbers of those receiving various benefits in the province.
National Treasury for blacklisting.
Nkadimeng said: “The process is in a discussion between Cogta and the Treasury’s chief procurement officer to enhance CWP selection and procurement processes. This includes blacklisting … ”
WHILE the matric class of 2022 has been described as the most hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with concerns over their performance in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, candidates have been warned that cheating is not an option.
The NSC exams, which officially began last Monday, have so far been marred by service delivery protests that affected more than 1 000 matric pupils across the country, load shedding and irregularities.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) said it was investigating a maths paper 2 question worth seven marks that candidates complained was impossible to answer.
In the Western Cape, Education MEC David Maynier said yesterday that the provincial Education Department had received 14 reports of candidates allegedly bringing cellphones or crib notes into exam venues.
“This clearly demonstrates that our monitoring processes are working, and that our invigilators are well-trained to keep a close eye on the conduct of candidates during the exam.
“Each reported incident will be thoroughly investigated, and the candidate in question is given the opportunity to make representations to a hearing following the exam session. The candidate will also have the opportunity to appeal the finding from the hearing,” he said.
Maynier said the provincial department had also received a formal complaint about the maths paper question and had referred it to the Department of Basic Education for attention.
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said it was unfortunate there were pupils who still did not comply with the rules of the exams.
“Obviously each case should be dealt with according to its merits. The reported incidents of irregularities pose a real threat to the credibility of the NSC exams. Covid-19 is not an excuse for cheating during exams,” said Makaneta.
He said the issue of pupils who missed exams as a result of protests was a bone of contention. He urged the department to find a way to ensure that fairness was not compromised.
National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) general secretary Matakanya Matakanye also said these incidents could pose a threat to the credibility of exams with Umalusi.
Naptosa executive director Basil Manuel said while the union condemned any form of irregularity, attempts by candidates to cheat were part of exam time.
“When children are stressed and nervous they tend to do crazy things. To create an impression that this is unusual and there is a rash increase, I feel the statement by MEC Maynier is a bit sensational.”