Principal and SGB chair face extortion allegations
A school principal in one of the primary schools in Mandeni on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, is facing allegations of extortion after education assistants spoke out on his demands to give him R1 500 every month as a favour for securiing their contracts.
Image: KAREN SANDISON/Independent Newspapers
SOME of the parents who protested outside Nembe Primary School, Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, demanding the removal of a principal who's facing allegations of extorting education assistants.
Image: SUPPLIED
PARENTS of learners in a primary school in Mandeni, on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, want the principal of the school removed for allegations of extortion.
The principal and the chairperson of the school governing body of Nembe Primary School, in KwaDendethu village, are accused of soliciting R1 500 from education assistants (EAs) to keep them in school.
The three EAs who are forced to fork out R1 500 to the principal and the SGB chairperson were hired in July this year.
According to one of the members of the SGB, Sipho Makhoba, they first heard of the allegations at the end of July.
“It is alleged they were told they failed the interview and were done a favour for hiring them; therefore, they must pay R1 500 each every month from their stipend.They then came to me to report, as I'm also part of the SGB,” said Makhoba.
He said they were instructed not to pay through a bank but must submit it in an envelope to the principal, who will hand it over to the chairperson of the SGB, who will then hand it over to the "intended recipients".
Three EAs were hired in July, and all of them are subjected to these extortion demands.
"It is alleged the principal said the money would help in paying for the salary of the school's clerk, a Grade RR teacher and a cleaner.
"According to the EAs, all these people don't receive any salary, and that's why he and the chairperson arrived at this decision," said Makhoba.
He said after their investigation they discovered that the people who are supposed to be recipients of these collected funds from EAs were unaware of this.
Makhoba said they don't want the principal in the school anymore.
"He's exploiting local children who are trying to earn a living through the EA programme. The chairperson too must go, as he is working with the principal to do wrongful things and oppress the youth who were hired through this programme. He doesn't exhibit traits of being the voice for the parents," said Makhoba.
He said the whole community were observing the safety of the education assistants like hawks since speaking out.
He said after their protest last week they made it clear that they want the principal suspended pending an investigation.
He said they are concerned that his presence in school will interfere with the investigation.
The principal's phone remained off when attempts were made to get his comment.
The SGB chairperson, Khanyisani Jiyane, admitted that such allegations exist and the KZN Department of Education circuit and region were investigating them.
"Even though I'm no longer allowed to expand on the matter as it's under investigation, I want to make it clear that there's no such thing as me soliciting bribes from the youth," said Jiyane.
These EAs were taken on a six-month contract and are paid a monthly stipend of R4 500 per month. The story will be updated here once the KZN Department of Education has responded.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE