Department of Basic Education confirms stipend delays affected only teacher assistants

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has confirmed that recent payment delays only affected Teacher Assistants whose stipends are not funded by the National Treasury.

In total, 155,000 Teacher and General School Assistants across the country did not receive their September stipends.

However, Minister Siviwe Gwarube clarified that those assistants whose pay is funded by the National Treasury received their September stipends on time.

During a media briefing in Pretoria earlier on Wednesday, the department explained that the delay was a result of the late submission and verification of documents from schools to the programme's funder.

ALSO READ: Payment of September stipends for some education assistants to be delayed

The DBE stated that as of this morning, payments have been made to candidates. Others who do not use traditional banks are expected to receive their stipends on Thursday.

Gwarube noted that when the system failed, contingency plans were not activated by responsible departmental officials.

“It's important to point out that this affected the Education Assistants who were paid only by the IOPC, and those Education Assistants who were paid by the National Treasury received their stipends. And while the DBE is not the sole actor in this process, I must acknowledge what deeply breaks the hardship administrative failure has caused and as government we have moved with urgency to resolve the matter.”