South Africa Education Minister Apologizes for School Feeding Scheme Chaos

South Africa’s Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga has apologized after thousands of learners in KwaZulu-Natal were left without school meals for the past month.

The chaos began after Pacina Retail, a company with no previous background in distributing food to over 5,000 schools, was awarded a R2 billion school feeding scheme tender.

Motshekga, who visited the province, expressed concern over the disruptions to the feeding program and apologized for any inconvenience caused.

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After a briefing by the Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s government about the crisis in over 260 schools, Motshekga said learners were no longer going hungry at school.

She said that all schools that were visited have received food and the situation has been restored.

As for the future of the Pacina Retail contract, Motshekga said  the matter is with their legal team.

Pacina Retail has issued an ultimatum to the department, demanding payment for the goods already served to schools and that they are reinstated in the R2 billion nutrition tender.