Second Joburg school calls for an audit into financial corruption

JOHANNESBURG: Hot on the heels of an explosive report exposing corruption at Glenvista High School, another school wants the Gauteng Department of Education to probe its financial affairs.

Glenview Primary School now also wants the department to institute a forensic audit of its financial affairs.

The school’s previous governing body (SGB) approached the district office last year to investigate corruption allegations at the institu- tion, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. After seeing Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s tough action regarding Glenvista, the former SGB escalated the matter to the provincial department.

The SGB members’ term of office ended earlier this year.

Former Glenview SGB chairman Enoch Malisa said they sent a report stating their concerns to the district office last year, but were ignored. Among the things the SGB complained about in their report were:

The principal’s daughter and deputy principal’s relative were hired as contract teacher’s assistants and received medical aid contributions and retirement annuity respectively from the school funds.

When the company that was running the canteen decided not to renew its contract, the principal allegedly appointed her daughter to run the canteen.

She then allegedly used some R18 000 of the school funds to stock up the canteen.

“The district was not taking the matter seriously and now that we have escalated to the provincial office, we hope it will be investigated,” Malisa said.

Departmental spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane confirmed they were aware of the previous SGB handover report.

She said they were still waiting for a recommendation to institute a forensic audit.

Yesterday, Sekhonyane added, the department would meet another whistleblower to see if they could investigate.

Last week, Lesufi and his team opened criminal cases against the former SGB chairperson and principal of Glenvista High School for corruption worth up to R8 million.

The principal was accused of using school funds to pay tax and levies for his holiday home, among other things.

Meanwhile, the Glenvista High School whistleblower has said he is reluctant to be a witness in court unless criminal charges are brought against more than two people.

“Why are the charges only being brought against two people? Who is the MEC trying to protect?

“Suppliers and other people at the schools were implicated. I am not willing to go to court because it will look like I am after two people.

“I want this to be about everyone involved,” he said.

Sekhonyane said all the implicated were being dealt with in line with the KPMG recommendations.

He added: “Not all SGB members were implicated by the report.

“Other members who were implicated resigned from the SGB prior to the conclusion of the investigation.”