The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has stated that its budget may not be able to cover the salaries of more than 2,000 teachers.
The Department has faced financial challenges for several years, with media reports indicating that around 80% of its R65 billion budget is allocated to salaries.
IOL previously reported that these financial strains have also led to underfunded infrastructure projects across the province. Following an oversight visit last month, the acting chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Sedukanelo Tshepo Louw, called for an investigation into abandoned projects after discovering several unfinished ones.
In a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Finance in the KZN Legislature this week, the Department's CFO, Ntokozo Mlaba, revealed that due to budget cuts, the department may not have sufficient funds to cover the salaries of 2,336 teaching positions for the current financial year..
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Mlaba also reportedly mentioned that a shortfall of over R1.3 billion was projected for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
"The impact then of the budget cuts is showing the department does not have sufficient funds to pay for the currently filled positions in the system, resulting in the [2,336] unaffordable educator posts for this financial year," Mlaba said, according to East Coast Radio.
Mlaba further explained that the department would need to reassess its financial priorities and plans to apply part of the budget cut to other categories.
"The department will have to review this and effect a portion of the budget cut against other categories. This reduces the [operational] budget. There are also no new infrastructure programs that are being implemented as a result of the budget cut," she said.
Last month, amid ongoing discussions about a potential increase in Value Added Tax (VAT), Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana argued that such a hike was necessary to prevent the loss of approximately 19,000 teaching positions in the province, which are at risk due to substantial budget cuts.
"As we speak, there is the threat of losing 19,000 teachers in KZN," the Minister said.
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