a) The 2023/24 breakdown is as follows:
PROVINCE
|
Girl learners reached in Q1-3 schools
|
Girl learners with disabilities reached in special schools
|
Girl learners with disabilities reached in mainstream schools
|
Grand Total
|
1. Mpumalanga
|
93 819
|
2 767
|
0
|
96 586
|
2. Gauteng
|
21 559
|
2 030
|
0
|
23 589
|
3. KwaZulu-Natal
|
1 364 866
|
1 305
|
0
|
1 366 171
|
4. Eastern Cape
|
85 211
|
1 452
|
0
|
86 663
|
5. North-West
|
177 450
|
1 827
|
0
|
179 277
|
6. Limpopo
|
275 582
|
3 036
|
0
|
278 618
|
7. Free State
|
4 786
|
0
|
0
|
4 786
|
8. Western Cape
|
566 604
|
2 397
|
660
|
569 661
|
9. Northern Cape
|
160 288
|
602
|
0
|
160 890
|
Total beneficiaries
|
2 750 165
|
15 416
|
660
|
2 766 241
|
- Eastern Cape (DSD) has been besotted by procurement delays which affects effective and timely delivery but it is turning the corner now. The challenge is that as much as the province is the second highest recipient of the equitable share budget, it does not reach even half of its beneficiaries, hence DWYPD has asked it to give a systematic and detailed account of what its cost drivers are, in order to understand its modus operandi.
- The Free State (DoE) requires Parliamentary curiosity because it has not delivered a decent service to learners for three financial years, since 2021/22. Tenders in that province get cancelled without a clear and convincing explanation. DWYPD has engaged with the province and is further planning a follow up engagement during the current third quarter of 2024/25. The positive outcome of the initial interaction is that the latest tender advertisement (Bid Number: E21/2024/2025) has closed on 27 September 2024 and it is hoped that the processes that shall follow shall be meticulous. DWYPD will monitor the process until the end of the value chain.
- Gauteng (DSD), they were generally a very efficient province in the past until they experienced cancellation of tenders and internal irregularities.
- Limpopo (DoE) has been doing very well after their initial tender was cancelled at some pint due to a court interdict but things got back on track thereafter.
- Mpumalanga (DSD), the province has improved their service delivery.
- North-West (DoE), there is a bit of improvement in service delivery but DWYPD still needs to intervene more.
- Northern Cape DoE, the province has the smallest budget which is at R5 million but at the inception of the programme in 2019/20 it was R10 million but was reduced because it did not spend the money during that financial year. That is the price for lack of planning and organisation. However, it is committed to the programme although it faces human resource and logistic challenges due to the expansiveness of the territory.
- KZN (DoE) has the highest budget allocation and as a result it is one of the best provinces in terms of delivery and reaching all its beneficiaries.
- Western Cape (DSD) is one of the most efficient and good delivery service record provinces.
In conclusion, the biggest obstacle to the programme in ensuring that learners receive these well needed products at the right time and in the right quality and quantity is the delayed procurement processes which are attributed to poor planning, subjective and irregular supply chain management activities, poor execution and provincial inefficiencies.