The Department of Basic Education has noted with concern an article in The Times (Friday, May 17 2013, pg5) by Katharine Child alleging that Head of the Eastern Cape Education Department Mthunywa Ngonzo has admitted his department was an utter failure. Not only is the report a misinterpretation of Mr Ngonzo’s affidavit filed in the Eastern Cape High Court, but it is also a malicious, intentional attempt to skew the facts of the affidavit.
In his 41 page responding affidavit, Mr Ngonzo gave the full context of the challenges faced by the Eastern Cape Education Department by spelling out the condition of the Eastern Cape Education Department before the current management was appointed, and Section (100)(1) (b) took over.
Indeed the massive, historical challenges faced by the Eastern Cape Education Department are well-documented, hence Cabinet’s decision to invoke Section (100) (1) (b). While Mr Ngonzo admitted to all these challenges in the affidavit, the emphasis was that systems are now in place since the new management was appointed, and since Section 100 (1) (b) intervention took effect.
It is unfortunate that the journalist blatantly omitted these important facts, by simply lifting out Paragraph 38 out of 62, therefore reporting totally out of context. If she had any intention whatsoever to balance her story, she would have included the contents of the very next Paragraph 39, which lists all 10 remedial steps that the department has taken to deal with the challenges facing the department.
It is also extremely disappointing that this reporter ignored the DBE response sent through by the Eastern Cape Education Department. She simply used the challenges articulated by Mr Ngonzo and deliberately omitted the main points in the affidavit including, among others, the fact that there are permanent appointees in the positions of MEC, Head of Department and Chief Financial Officer, that a Strategic Leadership Committee has been established, and that there is a process currently underway to re-align the 23 Districts down to eight for better management to turn around the Provincial Education Department for the better.
Such reporting smacks not only of malice but also unprofessional and disgraceful conduct.
