A new investigation into the Department of Basic Education’s controversial textbook publishing contracts is also expected to examine whether the deadline for submitting sample copies of textbooks was allegedly extended to benefit some bidders, reports News24.

After the result of the National Treasury’s investigation into the national catalogue for the foundation phase (grade one to three) was ‘inconclusive’, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube instructed her department to hire an independent law firm to conduct a thorough probe ‘to ensure that serious concerns are properly and independently tested’. 

News24 has received complaints from publishers questioning whether the department received sample copies from some competitors after the deadline had expired.

‘The Minister has requested that the investigation consider the development, approval and application of the terms of reference, compliance with submission requirements, the adequacy of records, communications with participants and whether the process was fair, transparent and consistently applied,’ said her spokesperson, Lukhanyo Vangqa.

Gwarube’s initial request to the Treasury to investigate possible irregularities in the procurement process came after News24 reported in April that publishing company Lighthouse Publishers, registered three days after the contract specifications were issued, was awarded 26% of the total approvals for publishing learning materials for grade one to three pupils.

A total of 6 385 titles submitted by 19 publishers were approved for publishing.

The titles approved by the department included Lighthouse Publishers (1 707), Oxford University Press (1 274), Marang Publishers (566), Macmillan Education (513), Maskew Miller Learning (471) and Shuter & Shooter Publishers (457).

News24 is owned by Media24, a subsidiary of Naspers, which also owns Via Afrika, a textbook publisher that received approvals for the publication of nine titles on the department’s catalogue.

According to News24, hours after the submission deadline expired at 4pm on 13 November 2024, the department informed publishers that it was extending the deadline to 17 November but abruptly rescinded the decision the following day after publishers raised strong objections.

However, during a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in May 2026, a document presented by the department stated it received submissions from 11 to 15 November 2024.

This is despite the initial deadline being 13 November.

The department released the new catalogue listing the approved titles of textbooks and other learning resources for grade one to three in April.

Full News24 report