School meals pay row simmers

→ We are forced to use our own money - service provider.

- Eric Mthobeli Naki & Clive Ndou

The KwaZulu-Natal education department yesterday made an undertaking to pay National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) service providers amid threats by the DA to have the department placed under administration for its "poor management" of the programme.

While the department insists it has so far paid 78% of the NSNP service providers, the contractors said those who have been paid have not been paid in full.

NSNP association representative Siboniso Xulu said despite the government having set aside funds for the NSNP programme, the KZN education department has shifted the financial burden for running the programme to the service providers.