MOKOPANE – Personnel including the principal of Nkakabidi Secondary School were prevented from entering the school premises in Sekgakgapeng outside Mokopane on Monday morning.
“Parents and residents blocked off the entrance to show they will not tolerate fraudulent activities at aschools,” said Moffat Magwai, a member of the school governing body (SGB) and DA activist on Tuesday.
According to Magwai, they filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Protector against the principal for misusing funds last year September and after an investigation the department found that “the school is violating procurement procedures, in almost all instances quotations were not sought, recommendations by the school finance committee are not ratified by the SGB and they are just implemented and there is no segregation of responsibilities between the SGB and the school finance committee,” these are only a few of the findings listed in the investigations report.
“It is exactly a year later and up to now nothing has been done in this regard. The principal and others working at the school have recently tried to destroy evidence of their criminal activities,” a reliable source who would like to stay anonymous told Bosveld. “On 9 September we opened a case against four workers at the school on the charge of fraud at the Mahwelereng Police Station,” said Magwai.
Const Sello Leso, spokesperson for the Mahwelereng police station, confirmed that a case was opened and four people, including the principal, were arrested and they appeared before the Mokerong Magistrate’s Court on 14 September. But the charges were withdrawn by the prosecutor due to a lack of evidence and the case is pending further investigation.
He also told Bosveld that a suspect, allegedly a former learner of the school, was arrested on Monday for malicious damage to property after he tried to set the school alight. He will appear before the Mokerong Magistrate’s court.
“Luckily only two desks were damaged by the flames. This was an isolated incident and had nothing to do with the situation at the school,” Leso confirmed.
Ndo Mangala, Mogalakwena District senior manager of education, told Bosveld on Tuesday afternoon: “The district is aware of the challenges the school is facing and they are receiving attention. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. The SGB attended a three-hour long meeting on Tuesday afternoon at the offices of the Mokopane Circuit Department of Education and we came to an agreement that the necessary steps will be taken and we will trust the police to do a proper investigation into the matter.”
