The High Court review of the R538m contract between the Eastern Cape Department of Education and IT company Sizwe Africa and cellphone giant MTN for the supply of 55 000 e-learning tablets for learners hangs in abeyance after the department’s private legal team was forced to withdrew from the case.

A Daily Dispatch report says Van Breda Changfoot Incorporated filed a notice of withdrawal from the case on 26 May.

Director Henry van Breda declined to comment on or provide reasons for his firm’s withdrawal, which will require the Education Department to appoint alternative attorneys and possibly brief different advocates to appear in the matter.

Advocate Richard Quinn SC, who was briefed by Van Breda Changfoot to represent the department in the matter, said: ‘My instructions to act as counsel have been terminated by reason of the State Attorney having withdrawn its instructions to my attorney.’

Literally a day after the withdrawal, the department was still advising the provincial legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Education that its legal team was busy liaising with the State Information and Technology Agency to settle the dispute over the contract.

Now the department is likely to argue in court that it needs more time to properly brief new attorneys and advocates.

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