Row over NCape principal rages on

WHILE the Northern Cape Department of Education remains adamant that nothing untoward occurred during the process of appointing a new principal at Zingisa Intermediate School, claiming that the outcry over the successful candidate stemmed from a member of the public with no affiliation to the school itself, allegations of corruption and threats of legal action against the department continue.

At the centre of the issue is Mthuthuzeli Matshoba, who has been corresponding with the department, apparently on behalf of parents at the school, and who has claimed that the department’s statement that all procedures were properly observed when hiring the incumbent principal is a blatant lie.

Matshoba recently explained that a complaint regarding the manner in which the principal was appointed was lodged on November 17, the same day that the chairperson of the school governing body (SGB) apparently held a meeting with parents who demanded that school inspector Dudley Daniels personally explain the appointment.

Matshoba said that no feedback was given at the meeting despite parents demanding answers.

He claimed that Daniels had subsequently responded to his e-mails, saying that he had compiled a report for his seniors and they would respond to the parents in due course. He added that to date, no response has been received either.

“Realising that the issue was gaining momentum, the SGB chairperson invited me to one meeting with him at Zingisa and after a lengthy explanation he also pledged his support for the parents,” Matshoba said.

“Ironically, Daniels wanted to be in the same meeting but I refused to meet with him and requested his written response to our dispute.”

According to Matshoba, that was also the day when Daniels enquired about who he was as well as his locus standi (capacity to bring an action or to appear in a court), which was confirmed.

“(Geoffrey) Van der Merwe (the spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Education) is seemingly not informed of these developments and has made a fool of himself by rubbishing something which is a fact and protecting what we suspect to be the corrupt manner in which the incumbent principal was appointed,” stated Matshoba.

“His lies about the unsuited candidates are nonsensical and deserve condemnation with utter contempt.”

Matshoba reiterated the allegations that the department had failed to be transparent in the process of appointing the principal and had erred in giving reasons to the candidates who were not shortlisted.

“They failed to respond fully on the question of qualifications and the Educators Employment Act regarding the criteria to be adopted and applied.”

He again declared that parents wanted no part of any corrupt practices that were causing divisions at the school.

“We will continue to seek redress on this matter, by any legal means necessary, even if it means approaching the High Court to set aside the appointment of this principal until due processes are followed.

“We want to give a clear message to Van der Merwe and the department that the national office of the Education Department will receive this dispute too, and whoever lied and corrupted this process will have to answer to the parents and the community and law.”

Van der Merwe again distanced the department from Matshoba’s claims and re-emphasised that he had no connection to any pupil at the school.

“We can confirm that Matshoba is not registered as a parent nor a guardian on our system,” said Van der Merwe.

“On the functionality of the SGB, there is no truth in the assertion that the SGB is non-functional, as they conducted the interviews.

“The department considers this case closed.”

However, in conclusion, Matshoba said that while he did not have a child attending the school, this was not a fact that disqualified him from having the right to raise concerns on behalf of the community.

“Van der Merwe should know that to raise issues of corruption or corrupt practices at a particular school or institution, one does not have to have a child there,” Matshoba pointed out. “Having a child in a particular institution is not a requirements to assist with rooting out corruption.

“His unfounded claim that I do not have a child at Zingisa is his display of foolishness or bankruptcy in law, which I am not prepared to join.

“There’s no amount of candy coating by the department that will succeed in blinding society to corruption and the non-compliance with the law in the appointment of that principal.

“We will leave no stone unturned in digging and will reveal every bit of dirt to the public should we find it. This is a promise.”