School wrangle drags on with no principal to guide matters

Rejected head has earned millions but not worked a day since appointment

The Eastern Cape education department has been dragging its feet in resolving the matter of a rejected Toisekraal Public School principal, who has earned about R2.5m since his appointment in 2017 without working a single day.

Principal Aaron Mhlontlo also doubles as a United Front proportional representation councillor in the Komani-based Enoch Mgijima council and from there has earned a further R1.2m since 2016.

Parents have raised concerns about a possible closure of the school due to a declining number of pupil enrolment caused by “lack of leadership”.

Newly elected Toisekraal school governing body (SGB) chair Zukile Mtwa said parents were unhappy that the education department had taken so long to ensure Mhlontlo started working at the school.

“Parents desperately need someone to lead the school so that there can be stability. The future of our children is at stake. They have spent more time outside the classroom in protests than behind the desks learning.

“Community members in that area who are largely dependent on social grants have resorted to taking their children to schools in other villages but struggle with transportation, but what choice do they have.

“We are worried that if the school continues to operate without a principal it could end up being merged with another because of the dwindling numbers, and that is a major concern for us because we do not want that to happen.

“The previous SGB members misled parents into believing Mhlontlo was employed irregularly even after the department clarified the matter. They are the reason we do not have a principal today and that urgently needs to change,” Mtwa said.

Mhlontlo was chased away from the school by a group of angry parents in 2017 when he was meant to be introduced, with members of the then SGB saying he had been parachuted into the position.

The education department ’ s failure to settle the matter with the former SGB cohort led to Mhlontlo recommending that he be attached to a poorly performing school so that he could assist, something that has still not happened.

Mhlontlo said his only concern with being attached to a school that already had a principal was the possible conflict.

“While the department strove to settle this issue, in February last year I learnt with shock that my services with the department had been terminated because I had apparently resigned — something that has never even crossed my mind,” Mhlontlo said.

“I filed legal documents with the Bhisho high court because I did not get my salary for February and March because of this.

“On March 26 2019, the matter was heard in court and after the department could not produce my resignation letter, they lost the case and were instructed to reinstate me with reimbursement for the unpaid months,” Mhlontlo said.

The principal said the department had also tried to use his council appointment against him even though he had declared it before his 2016 swearing in.

“I declared this to the former district director of the Sterkspruit education district prior my swearing in, that took place in August. On my arrival in Komani, I also informed former Chris Hani district director Nkosinathi Godlo in February 2017 and I did not get a response,” he said.

Mhlontlo said he had been traumatised by this whole matter and doubted he would go back to the school now.

“My major concern is my safety.

“The new SGB, which now says they are ready to welcome me to the school, was quiet when I was chased away from the school.

“They have not once stood up and defended me throughout the years, and I am supposed to believe them when they say they will protect me, something the department could not do,” he said.

Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the matter between Mhlontlo and the department had been solved and that the principal was expected to start his job at Toisekraal next month.

Mtima said: “The matter about his resignation was a mistake on our side and we have since rectified it. He remains in the employ of the department.”