State lets crooks handle education - DA

2010-11-09 21:24

Michael Hamlyn

Cape Town - Speaking in a debate on access to tertiary institutions for poor, deserving under- and post-graduates, Wilmot James, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on basic education, urged the government to abandon what he called the National Democratic Revolution as the guiding
approach in its appointments.

James told the National Assembly on Tuesday that the Eastern Cape provincial government last week rehired Modidima Mannya as superintendent general of education.

"Mr Mannya was rehired even though he left the post in 2001 after being threatened with criminal charges by the education MEC, who claimed he had failed to perform his duties," James said.

"Last year he was suspended and dismissed as head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of 16 charges of misconduct."

James said Mannya has now been recruited to rescue a department that received a disclaimer from the auditor general.

"Government recycles crooks to look after our children's education," James said.