By: The Youth Voice Reporter
The Mpumalanga Department of Education has strongly refuted allegations of wastage and irregular procurement surrounding the acquisition of e-learning devices for learners, following reports published by City Press and News24.
In a statement issued this week, the Department said the claims were misleading and factually incorrect, and moved to place the correct information on record regarding the Ubuhlebuzile E-Learning Programme, which was introduced in 2022 as a phased intervention to enhance teaching and learning across the province.
According to the Department, in 2022 it procured 64 000 tablets for Grade 12 learners under a three-year contract valued at R224 million, inclusive of a three-year warranty. The procurement was conducted through a SITA contract, with Bongani Rainmaker Limited (BRL) appointed as the supplier in line with all government procurement prescripts.
In 2025, the Department replaced the initial devices with 60 000 Packard Bell tablets valued at R232 million, also inclusive of a three-year warranty. These devices were distributed to Grade 12 learners in quintile 1 to 3 schools, and the Department said it is not aware of any verified reports of non-functional tablets.
The Department further attributed the improved matric performance partly to the effective use of e-learning devices, noting an increase in the Grade 12 pass rate from 79% in 2023 to 86.55% in 2025, as the programme matured.
Claims that the Packard Bell tablets constituted wastage were dismissed as “completely untrue and misplaced”. As part of the Department’s sustainability strategy, the 2025 tablets have since been retrieved, formatted and reloaded with updated content, and will be re-issued to the 2026 Grade 12 cohort.
Looking ahead, the Department confirmed that it has placed an order for 70 000 Windows-based tablet notebooks to be issued to Grade 10 learners in 2026, at a cost of R330 million, not R600 million as alleged. Learners will retain these devices from Grade 10 through to Grade 12, with content updates done remotely to reduce future logistical and redistribution costs.
The procurement was facilitated through BRL in terms of an approved contract that allows the company to source devices based on Department specifications, load educational content, and manage distribution to schools.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the Department’s e-learning budget amounted to R717 million, covering both Grade 10 and Grade 12 learners. This includes R312 million for Grade 12 tablets, while the remaining allocation, supplemented by the Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) budget, contributed to the procurement of Grade 10 devices with a total project value of R393 million.
The Department reiterated that all procurement processes were lawful, strategic and aligned to improving learner outcomes, adding that allegations of inflated costs, wastage or non-functional devices were misleading.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the effective use of technology to advance quality education for learners across Mpumalanga.