Nkandla’s pupils receiving food again

PUPILS from four schools in President Jacob Zuma’s hometown of Nkandla that were not receiving meals are again being fed after the provincial education department paid the service provider.

On Friday, Sowetan reported that more than 3 000 pupils from Mpotholo, Ntatshana and Sigananda primary schools and MaZondi Secondary School have been left starving for a month.

Provincial education department spokesman Kwazi Mthethwa yesterday confirmed that the service provider Zanele Zuma had been paid and children were again receiving food as part of the national schools feeding scheme.

“Our intervention as the department led to the payment of the service provider. We’re proud to announce that children in those schools are receiving their meals as usual and we’re going to monitor the situation for the next few months,” Mthethwa said.

Mpotholo principal Fanele Ntombela confirmed that pupils were receiving food again.

“We were very worried as teachers because most of the children come from impoverished families. They are now happy and everything is back to normal … we’re teaching energetic pupils with full stomachs,” Ntombela said.

Ntatshana headmaster Muzi Zungu also confirmed that food was available and children were learning as usual. “We’ve been struggling to calm down crying children in grades R, 1, 2 and 3 because of hunger. They’re now going to concentrate in class as before,” he said.

Zuma confirmed that she had been paid and she was continuing with food deliveries.

“It’s been a terrible moment for me too because I have been struggling to pay my debts. But it was more disappointing to see children going to school hungry,” she said.

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal expressed joy after the problem was resolved.

“While the DA welcomes this positive step, we still want answers from MEC Mthandeni Dlungwana.

“He must explain what went wrong and what he and his department intend doing to ensure that this does not happen again,” said DA provincial education spokeswoman and MPL Mbali Ntuli.

Ntuli said the fact that the department was either unaware or did not care about Nkandla pupils going hungry was extremely alarming.

“Equally disturbing is that it takes exposure through the media and pressure from the DA before suppliers are paid,” she said.