R971 million owed to schools in South Africa’s richest province

Thousands of schools in Gauteng have been waiting months to receive almost R1 billion in funding from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).

2,202 schools across the province have failed to receive their first Norms and Standards funding allocation for May 2026, with the balance owed sitting at R971 million.

This includes R472.9 million designated for 953 schools falling within quintiles 1 to 3, also known as the “no-fee schools” as they are legally prohibited from charging school fees.

These schools serve the most disadvantaged communities in South Africa, equating to the poorest 60% of learners nationally, and receive the highest state funding per learner.

Also affected by the funding delay are 129 special needs schools, with R250.9 million owed to 129 special needs schools across Gauteng.

This funding is critical for the continued operations of these schools, as it is used for school maintenance, municipal services, and the procurement of school textbooks.

The GDE was due to pay R2.08 billion to 3,647 schools across Gauteng during the May tranche. Only R1.11 billion of this has been paid as of 3 September.

By law, provincial education departments are required to pay the first full round of funding by 15 May, with a second tranche to be paid by 15 November.

The May payment equates to around 50% of the total R4.1 billion Norms & Standards funding allocation which is due to be paid to Gauteng’s schools in 2026.

The funding delay has affected the daily operations of these schools, with many struggling to procure essential teaching materials and implement planned school programmes.

Some school principals have resorted to taking on personal debt to purchase the necessary supplies they need as they continue to wait for funding.

One principal at a school in Tshwane said this had placed a strain on his personal finances and had negatively affected his credit score.

An avoidable crisis

DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Education Michael Waters has strongly criticised the GDE for allowing the funding delay to persist months after it was due to be paid.

He said the Gauteng Provincial Treasury previously held reserves to provide for timely Norms and Standards payments, but these reserves have reportedly been depleted.

According to Waters, the current situation could have been avoided had the Treasury maintained its reserves to act as a financial buffer in the event of delayed payments.

He called on the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) to account for the state of its finances and explain why the funding has been delayed.

“Every day that this funding remains unpaid, the financial pressure on schools intensifies,” Waters said. “Schools still have financial obligations to meet.”

“These responsibilities do not disappear when government payments are delayed. Instead, schools are forced to find ways to keep operating while waiting for the funding they are owed.”

Waters accused the GPG of prioritising e-tolls over public education, pointing to a R4.6 billion payment it made towards its e-toll debt on 30 June.

Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas) CEO Jaco Deacon raised concerns with regard to the upcoming second tranche, which is due on 15 November.

He said that if close to half of the May tranche had still not been paid, then this risked extending into the November tranche and pushing schools even further behind in funding.

Some principals have said that if the funding continues to be delayed, there was a real possibility that staff contracts would not be renewed at the end of the year due to budget constraints.

During a recent meeting with the Gauteng legislature’s education portfolio committee, the GDE said the delay had been caused by cash flow constraints.

This was confirmed in a written response to TimesLIVE by the Gauteng Finance MEC Nkululeko Dunga, who said the Provincial Treasury had advised the GDE to delay payments.

The GDE said it plans to settle the outstanding balance of the May tranche before the second round of funding is due to be paid in November.