JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — A deepening Gauteng education budget shortfall has sparked intense backlash, with opposition lawmakers accusing the provincial government of misplaced priorities after revealing that hundreds of millions of rands are being spent on private office rentals while frontline school services are gutted.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Education spokesperson Michael Waters has brought the issue to parliament, highlighting a stark and controversial disparity in how provincial funds are being allocated. While the education sector faces severe financial constraints, the provincial government continues to lease premium private real estate for its administrative staff.
R230 Million in Private Rentals vs. Slashed School Subsidies
According to Waters, the provincial government is spending more than R230 million annually to rent 10 district offices from private landlords. This massive rental expenditure is further compounded by an additional R47 million municipal bill for these facilities.
Simultaneously, the Gauteng education budget is feeling the squeeze. Subsidies for 600 quintile 5 schools have been slashed by an overwhelming 64%. Waters argues that the government should be utilizing and renovating its own abandoned buildings rather than funding luxurious private offices for officials who reportedly prefer them over government-owned facilities.
Waters has secured the names of the 10 private landlords and is actively investigating whether any of the property owners are politically connected to the ruling ANC or are known party donors.
Power Cuts, Lost Learning, and Devolved Responsibilities
The financial strain resulting from these funding cuts has pushed many schools to the brink. Because the responsibility for paying municipal accounts was devolved directly to schools last year, many institutions are now struggling to pay their basic electricity and water bills.
The provincial government undertook to fund schools adequately to cover these devolved costs, but Waters notes that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has failed to pay the first tranche of the budget in full for the new financial year, which began on April 1.
The consequences of this funding failure are severe:
- Mass Disconnections: In 2026 alone, 251 schools across the province have been disconnected from the municipal electricity supply.
- Lost Education: These power cuts equate to an estimated 8,925 lost learning days in Gauteng.
- Resource Shortages: Schools are unable to provide basic learning materials or adequately support teachers.
Dodged Accountability and Empty Government Buildings
Attempts to get clarity on the rationale behind these leasing agreements have been met with legislative resistance. Waters states that the MEC for Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, has refused to answer parliamentary questions regarding the empty government buildings. Instead, the MEC is reportedly hiding behind an ongoing investigation into the matter being conducted by the Premier.
In response to the inadequate replies, Waters has formally written to the Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature. He is demanding that the MEC fulfill his constitutional obligations by answering the questions orally in the house.
A Looming Infrastructure and Safety Crisis
Beyond the Gauteng education budget cuts, the physical dilapidation of school infrastructure remains a critical, long-standing crisis. By law, government-owned buildings must undergo structural safety inspections at least once every five years to ensure they are sound and safe for learners.
However, Waters revealed a shocking statistic: out of more than 2,400 schools in the province, only 37 have been inspected by the Department of Infrastructure Development in the last five years.
This lack of oversight has resulted in dangerous learning environments:
- Johannesburg Arts School: A massive dance studio and underlying offices have been cordoned off and closed for nearly two years due to structural safety concerns.
- Kempton Park High School: A connecting bridge between two buildings has been closed for over two years and appears to be on the verge of collapse.
- Fatal Precedents: Waters warned that failing to rectify these hazards could lead to immense legal liability and tragedy, referencing a heartbreaking incident last year in Pretoria where a collapsing school wall fell on and killed a child.
Education MEC Lebogang Maile and the MEC for Infrastructure Development are expected to address the media and the legislature regarding the province’s infrastructure backlogs and educational spending in the coming days.
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