TEACHERS JOIN TRIBALISM WAR

SGB chairman manipulated in principal row

THE chairman of the school governing body at the troubled Thembile Primary on the West Rand has been accused of being manipulative and a liar.

Last week Sowetan reported that the Kagiso, Mogale City, school’s newly appointed principal could not start work at the school because of tribalism.

Setswana-speaking headmaster Anthony Mathabe is allegedly not wanted at the school because he does not speak Xhosa.

This week, a teacher, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, and who is also part of the school governing body, claimed SGB chairman Mzwandile Jwara was a liar. The teacher said Jwara was being manipulated by corrupt teachers. The teacher said the school was failing to steer the curriculum in the right direction.

“We want the new principal to take over because there is no development,” the teacher said.

According to another SGB member, who also asked not to be named, Jwara was present during interviews and was also part of the panel that recommended Mathabe as the new principal.

Mathabe was appointed in Febru- ary, but has been unable to fulfil his duties as he has been blocked from entering the school premises.

Meshack Galekgutle, a member of the Professional Educators Union, said he was worried when there were delays in appointing the principal.

“The fear was that teachers did not want the new principal, but in our conversation with them they did not have a problem,” Galekgutle said. –