One was appointed by the presidency and the second by the Limpopo government.

An investigation is already being conducted by former Gauteng education MEC Mary Metcalfe, who was appointed to do so on Monday by the department of basic education.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said the presidential task team would investigate the causes of non-delivery of books and make recommendations.

"The team will investigate why the textbooks were never delivered to schools and make recommendations to prevent a future recurrence," he said.

"The decision to appoint the team was made after President Jacob Zuma met with Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on Tuesday."

Limpopo provincial government spokesman Tebatso Mabitsela said its team was set up by the provincial executive committee on Tuesday.

"The committee saw it fit to establish a provincial task team led by director general Rachel Modipa to investigate the problems around delivery of books, as we are part of the total sphere of government and believe in co-ordination and good governance."

Mabitsela said the team's terms of reference were still being formulated, but chief among them was to inspect the distribution of books.

Pupils in the province had been without textbooks for the past six months, as the department failed to procure books on time.

The presidential team would start work immediately.

It would comprise the deputy ministers of finance, Nhlanhla Nene; basic education, Enver Surty; performance, monitoring and evaluation, Obed Bapela; co-operative governance and traditional affairs Yunus Carrim; and public service and administration, Ayanda Dlodlo.

The province's departments of education, roads and transport, health, public works and treasury were placed under the administration of the national government in January.