GROUNDUP : ‘Disgrace’: Eastern Cape Education Department admits it unlawfully withheld billions from schools
While about 1.58 million no-fee pupils have been denied support for three years, parents already surviving on grants have been asked to supply toilet paper, cleaning products and copying paper.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) has admitted to unlawfully withholding billions of rands from no-fee schools in the province. The case, brought forth in the Makhanda High Court on August 19, 2026, revealed that about R6-billion has been held since 2020. Parents of no-fee pupils, already surviving on grants, have been asked to provide essential items such as toilet paper, cleaning products, and copying paper.
The department violated constitutional norms by withholding funds without a joint planning process, as mandated by the National Norms and Standards for School Funding. The court order directs the ECDoE to give every Eastern Cape school its full allocation for the 2027/28 financial year and to report on compliance until September 2027. None of the withheld funds will be repaid.
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