Teacher desperate to stay at school despite fits
EVERY time he goes into a classroom, Lindokuhle Mkhize, a teacher at Kwasanti Secondary School in Pinetown, fears he might have one of his recurring seizures in front of his pupils. But he refuses to resign.
In 2010, the maths and science teacher was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, a development of several cysts in his brain which resulted in epilepsy and chronic headaches.
Since 2011, he has been pleading with the Kwazulu-natal Department of Education to give him duties that do not require him to be classroom-based.
“Unfortunately, there is nothing the doctors can do because the position of the cysts makes it impossible to operate,” he told the Sunday Tribune.
This condition is accompanied by severe headaches, fits, numbness, cramping, loss of balance, noise intolerance and a decline in cognitive ability.
Mkhize said he was aware of what triggered some of the attacks but he’s also had attacks without knowing what sparked them. He said he was scared that one day he would have an attack while in the classroom.
“Some of my colleagues mock me and call me a mad man. I’ve had others blatantly telling me to resign because I’m a danger to my pupils,” he said.
Mkhize, who obtained a distinction in maths in matric, said he was fascinated by anything maths and science-related and wanted to share his knowledge with the younger generation.
Last year, he took sick leave from April to August but the department is deducting R3 000 monthly from his salary to pay back what he owes because his leave application was declined.
“The medication I was taking made it hard for me to do anything so I was bedridden. But it’s not about the money, I’m just grateful for having survived.”
He might be in and out of hospitals annually, but Mkhize refuses to entertain the idea of medical boarding, saying it would not serve anyone.
“I want to be able to continue working with schools, otherwise my education would be wasted.”
In a letter from Kwasanti principal Sibusiso Dlamini to the department in January, he said since 2010 Mkhize’s condition “has gradually become permanent in such a way that his capacity to perform is highly affected and consequently learners are directly disadvantaged”.
Spokesperson for the department, Sihle Mlotshwa, said the placement in an alternative post was an option but was effected on the advice of the human resources management.
“In respect of each application for temporary incapacity leave, the human resources management also provides advice regarding the future management of the medical condition or incapacity.
“The advice in this regard is conveyed to the employee concerned and compliance is monitored with a view to curbing the abuse of sick leave,” Mlotshwa added.
With regard to Mkhize’s application, he said: “The human resources management concluded from the available documents that he is able to perform his own duties.
“As such, there is no justification to consider him for placement in an alternative post.”