Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube suspended the new R1.6 billion Foundation Phase textbook catalogue on Tuesday 2 September 2026, citing governance failures and financial risk, even after an independent investigation found no evidence of fraud or favouritism in the selection process.
The decision means schools across the country, including those on the Cape Flats, must order from a 14-year-old catalogue for the 2027 school year. The Rakoma & Associates probe, supported by an Auditor-General review and two legal opinions, identified material non-compliance and weak conflict-of-interest rules but concluded the blind evaluation was fair and that fledgling publisher Lighthouse Publishers should keep its place on the list.
“The independent investigation identified material problems that cannot be ignored,” said Lukhanyo Vangqa, spokesperson for Minister Gwarube. “These included issues of non-compliance, governance failures and risk of irregular expenditure to provinces.”
The controversy erupted on 28 April 2026 when a News24 report questioned how Lighthouse Publishers, a new company with no prior publishing history, secured a significant share of the catalogue. The department commissioned multiple audits, including internal legal reviews and an opinion from senior counsel Advocate Chris Erasmus, all of which confirmed the process was lawful and competitive.
The Auditor-General of South Africa found the department lacked a formal catalogue policy and had unclear rules on declarations of interest, but stressed the screening process was consistently applied. Despite this, Gwarube opted to halt the new list while awaiting final legal advice on how to fix the governance gaps.
The ANC parliamentary study group on basic education accused the minister of acting out of political self-interest. In a statement released on 9 September, the group said: “The minister’s decision is backed by nothing but political survival. Extensive investigations found no evidence of fraud or evaluation irregularities in the blind review process.”
Cape Flats News verified that the Rakoma report explicitly recommended against cancelling the catalogue, a detail confirmed in the Daily Maverick article of 3 September 2026. Investigators found Lighthouse Publishers’ materials passed anonymous, curriculum-focused evaluation, and the company was cleared of any manipulation.
Teacher union SADTU also attacked the suspension, labelling Gwarube anti-transformation. Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club on 14 September, the minister hit back.
“I will not be intimidated out of doing the work that this office requires, and I reject the suggestion that demanding a fair process is an attack on transformation. Teacher unions have an important role to play in our education system.”
The standoff leaves Western Cape schools in limbo. A ward councillor in Mitchells Plain who contacted the desk at 14:00 on Wednesday confirmed principals in the area are concerned about ordering from outdated materials, but have received no alternative guidance from the provincial education department.
It is still unclear when the minister will receive the senior counsel’s legal guidance she is waiting for, or whether she intends to scrap the new catalogue permanently. Gwarube’s office told Cape Flats News no decision will be made before that advice is delivered.