Note to Editors: Attached please find a soundbite in English here by Michael Waters MPL.
• The GDE spent almost R96 million on travel, accommodation and conference facilities over three financial years.
• GDE must account for the R47.9 million spent on conference facilities and R21.7 million on transport, including a questionable R14.6 million expenditure on shuttle services.
• A DA-led Gauteng Government would clamp down on wasteful travel and conference expenditure, and redirect savings towards financially strained schools.
While Gauteng schools face severe financial pressures, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has per written replies received, spent almost R96 million on travel and related costs over the past three financial years, including nearly R47.9 million on conference facilities and more than R21.6 million on shuttle and road transport.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands a full account of this expenditure and clear evidence of how it benefited teaching and learning.
The nearly R96 million spent over the three financial years includes R47.88 million on conference facilities, R21.67 million on shuttle and road transport, R19.61 million on accommodation, R3.04 million on air travel and R2.75 million on travel management services. The GDE also spent approximately R524,000 on vehicle hire and R521,000 on meals, catering and incidental costs.
The replies contain gaps and apparent inconsistencies that require urgent clarification. Of particular concern is the R14.619 million reported under shuttle and road-transport categories in the 2025/26 financial year, while a separate reply records only one shuttle booking during that financial year.
The DA will submit follow-up questions demanding a complete breakdown of the R21.7 million transport expenditure, the R47.9 million spent on conference facilities, all international travel, and the inconsistencies present in these replies, particularly concerning the R14.619.
The department must explain how this expenditure benefits education and whether more cost-effective alternatives could have freed up funds to support financially strained schools.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would prioritise spending that directly supports teaching and learning, impose strict controls on travel and conference costs, and redirect savings towards financially strained schools.