File picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)
THE DA has slammed the Government Printing Works (GPW) for being the source of the leaked National Senior Certification examinations physical sciences paper 2 last month.
This after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga confirmed that the physical sciences paper 2 leak originated from the GPW.
DA MP Angel Khanyile said that her party was not surprised by Motshekga’s confirmation.
“The GPW provides important services to the South African government, including the printing of smart ID cards, passports and visas. And in this case, the printing of certain National Senior Certificate examination papers,” Khanyile said.
“This is therefore a critical entity but, unfortunately, the GPW has seen a decline under the leadership of Alinah Fosi, the acting CEO. Questions surrounding her leadership at GPW have now inevitably resulted in further deterioration of critical services.”
Khanyile also said that Fosi had been at the centre of a series of allegations ranging from the alleged assault of a junior employee, intimidating GPW employees and using taxpayer money to pay for business class tickets to travel with friends to France for a “workshop”.
Khanyile said Fosi had overseen the appointment of suppliers for this “workshop" without following due procurement processes.
“GPW, this year, also received a qualified audit for the first time in recent memory. The adverse findings were largely the result of the re-occurrence of irregular expenditure at the entity.
“A report by the Public Service Commission into supply chain irregularities found Ms Fosi guilty of supply chain irregularity and recommended that the Executive Authority consider ’corrective action’ against Ms Fosi,” Khanyile said.
She added that instead of “corrective action”, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi seemed determined to appoint Fosi at GPW permanently although there have been numerous questions swirling around her fitness for office as it pertains to her qualifications.
“So while the DA is dismayed that this leak emanated from GPW, we are not in the least surprised given the entity’s current trajectory and the apparent push to install someone wholly unsuitable in the CEO position.
“The exam paper leak at GPW is yet another indication of the regression of the entity under the leadership of Ms Fosi and it would be remiss of Minister Motsoaledi to ignore this indictment.
"There is an obligation on the minister to ensure that no learner suffers because of corrupt and incompetent service providers,” Khanyile said.
– Political Bureau