Thank you, hon Speaker. Just to ease the minds of those here, the hon Minister is in Mauritius representing South Africa at a regional conference. So, that is why she is not here today. The hon Meshoe is not present, but he requested ... [Interjections.] ... Oh, all right, I see him there now. Thank you very much. My apologies.
There are three issues. The first is with regard to the destruction of textbooks, the second is in relation to the dumping of textbooks, and the third is in relation to another incident of dumping that has occurred.
An official in the department of education in Limpopo has been arrested on three charges of dumping. He was arrested on two counts of dumping in the Limpopo province and subsequently rearrested and recharged on a third count. The dumping was in relation to workbooks. I would like to explain to the House that there are 52 million workbooks that are distributed countrywide in all 11 official languages. These workbooks are basically sent to each and every school. However, in order to prevent difficulties and challenges in relation to shortages or the delivery of workbooks, the Department of Basic Education provides for some 20 000 workbooks to be stored in each district warehouse to enable easy access where there are shortages or where books in the wrong languages have been supplied.
The official concerned - from the information at our disposal - utilise an opportunity to acquire, firstly, the use of a vehicle; secondly, to be remunerated for the purpose of delivering books to a school, which he did not do. In other words, it is a fraudulent activity on his part. The information is that he confessed to the misdemeanour and, indeed, was arrested. We have requested the Special Investigating Unit and Special Anti- Corruption Unit, as well as the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, to look at any element of collusion in this regard.
With regard to the second issue, that is, the destruction of textbooks, the information at our disposal is that this was carried out by an agent we had contracted with the government of Limpopo. We would like to say clearly and unequivocally that we do not condone any form of destruction of textbooks or workbooks, and certainly, it goes against the grain of what we represent and the interests that we promote. However, the information at our disposal is that she illegitimately acquired the authority to procure these textbooks. The procedure that is followed in the department of education in Limpopo is that district and provincial officials are responsible for the assessment of any textbooks which they wish to dispose of. Where a textbook is obsolete in terms of the curriculum, the procedure is that it would be redirected to a library or a resource centre. It appears that, in this particular instance, the authority was illegitimately provided. The contract has been cancelled and the Special Investigating Unit, the Special Anti-Corruption Unit and the NPA have been requested to investigate the matter on an urgent basis.
On the last issue, regarding the most recent arrest concerning the textbooks, from the information at our disposal, these are not textbooks that belonged to the department of education or any particular school or entity of government, but to a publisher. The person who has been arrested is an agent of the publisher, who has, indeed, disposed of these textbooks. Investigations have been carried out and he has, indeed, been arrested and has appeared in court. [Time expired.] [Applause.]