MAKOKO – The controversy around the appointment of a new principal at Livelethu Primary continues to deepen and community members are still fighting for it to be revoked. When schools reopened for the second term last month the residents blockaded the gate with burning tyres, demanding the new principal to be removed with immediate effect.
According to members of the public, chaos erupted during a community meeting convened by the tribal office and they were not happy with the manner in which the school governing body (SGB) handled the incident.
“The gathering was peaceful until the entire ANC branch executive committee of Ward 37B, Makoko, led by the SGB chairperson, Vusi Mbuyane and other party members, stormed into the meeting and ordered everyone to immediately disperse,” said an angry resident.
Some members of the community told Mpumalanga News that they had been forcefully removed from their chairs while others alleged they had been physically assaulted.
The community is not satisfied with the administrative action taken by the Department of Education to overlook a female candidate who has served the school diligently for 23 years as an HOD, and who has an honours degree and certificate in school management and has acted as principal for the institution on numerous occasions, including the past three months.
“We do not have anything personal against the new principal but the appointment raises many questions such as why appoint someone who only holds a diploma, has far less experience, and has not been in school management?
“We suspect that his only advantage is that he is a prominent ANC member and a regional secretary of Sadtu,” said Mr Silas Mkhonto. He added that during the meeting minutes were forcefully seized by a member of the ANC from the hands of the chief.
“We don’t want corruption to continue in our country as it continues to defile our nation. This is unacceptable,” added Mkhonto. However, the chairperson of the SGB, Mbuyane, dismissed the assault claims saying no one had been forcefully removed from the meeting since it was a community gathering and every resident had the right to be there.
“We are not happy about the decision and we demand that the department investigate this appointment. In the meantime we put our children’s education first,” said Mkhonto.
Speaking on behalf of the department, Mr Gerald Sambo said, “It is not conducting any investigation into this matter because the interviewing processes were found to be flawless.”
