"We met our deadline last night and all the books have left the warehouse," spokeswoman Hope Mokgatlhe said.

The department had an agreement with rights organisation Section 27 that all schools in the province receive textbooks by Wednesday night.

Section 27 spokesman Mark Heywood said it had only anecdotal reports from the ground, but expected to have a full report from the department at 9am.

"There certainly was a big effort, and I think many schools will have their books this morning," Heywood said.

"However, we have received contradictory reports as well, therefore we call for an independent verification of the report."

The department of basic education was initially ordered in May to provide Limpopo schools with textbooks by June 15.

The High Court in Pretoria ruled in May that the department's failure to provide textbooks violated the Constitution.

Section 27, which brought the application, met the department after the first deadline expired, and it was decided that delivery of the textbooks be completed by Wednesday.