The Mpumalanga Education Department has spent over R2 million on just 22 laptops, costing over R91,000 each.
MEC Cathy Dlamini revealed the numbers during a Q&A session but couldn’t explain the high price tag or name the laptop brand and software used. She confirmed she didn’t receive one herself.
The department claims the laptops were bought through SITA, not for teaching, but for admin use by office staff and school principals.
The deal has raised red flags over procurement transparency, sparking criticism of SITA once again.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Solly Malatsi wants small departments to bypass SITA for IT needs, but Parliament’s Communications Committee isn’t convinced, warning that scrapping SITA’s role could weaken efforts to digitise public services.
