The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed an urgent application to halt KwaZulu-Natal’s R2.9 billion school feeding programme, allowing its rollout to proceed despite ongoing disputes over the tender process.
Companies challenging the contract awards have expressed disappointment following Friday’s ruling, which clears the way for the continuation of the National School Nutrition Programme. The initiative provides meals to more than 2.4 million pupils across the province.
The legal challenge was brought by service providers who allege irregularities in the tender process, including claims that some contracts were awarded to newly registered companies without proper adherence to procurement regulations.
The Nutrition Programme Service Providers Association argued that the court did not fully consider the merits of its case.
Association representative Lindani Matiwane said the matter was urgent given that the current contract is set to expire within days, requiring a new agreement to take effect immediately.
“We do not understand why it is not urgent because the current contract expires early next week. There are a lot of allegations, but beyond that, there is evidence,” Matiwane said.
He further questioned how some successful bidders were only registered in 2025, despite the tender being advertised in 2024 and awarded months later.
Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education welcomed the ruling, saying it ensures the uninterrupted continuation of the feeding scheme.
The department maintains that the programme remains fully operational and has committed to strengthening efficiency, transparency, and accountability throughout its implementation.