Hon Speaker, at the end of 2009, correspondence was sent from the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, Member of Parliament, to all Members of Parliament in this House, urging members of the House to visit schools at the beginning of the 2010 academic year.
I duly visited ten schools over a three-day period and submitted a comprehensive report of my findings to the Ministry on 14 April 2010. This report advised the Ministry on issues that required urgent attention at these schools. I further requested in my correspondence feedback from the Ministry on issues that I addressed and the steps to be taken, so that I could conduct follow-up visits towards the end of 2010.
To date, hon Speaker, and despite numerous requests by my office, the Ministry of Education has not even responded to my April correspondence, save for a telephonic call of acknowledgement, let alone effected any changes to the above-mentioned schools as per my request.
I submit that this, Mr Speaker, is administrative and political negligence of the worst kind. I therefore urge the Minister of Education to take immediate disciplinary and corrective action to ensure that instances of negligence such as this do not occur again. Thank you. [Applause.]