The Gauteng Department of Education is reeling from controversy after police arrested a Sandringham High School teacher and the school governing body member.
The two suspects were under investigation for fraud.
Sandringham police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela said the two suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested for fraud.
Maphakela said, “This followed a prolonged and thorough investigation following criminal charges laid by the school’s governing body members.”
A fuming member of the school’s governing body, who spoke to North Eastern Tribune, said that the school had been without a principal, leaving the principal’s house vacant.
The arrested duo allegedly rented out the principal’s house and collected the rent for themselves, which they were supposed to deposit into the school’s bank account.
The member claimed the accused rented out the house from April this year without the knowledge of other governing body members. The member added that in April the accused also allegedly pocketed R3 000 as a deposit because the tenants moved in, in the middle of the month and paid a R6 000 monthly rental.
The visibly shocked member alleged the two accused continued to collect the rent until the governing body realised in late June that there were tenants living in the house. The member said when the governing body approached the duo they gave contradicting versions of the situation; the governing body then decided to open a case against the accused.
Another governing body member added that they also reported the matter to the provincial department of education.
The department’s spokesperson, Phumla Sekhonyane said they were aware of allegations of irregularities at Sandringham High School involving an educator and a school governing body member.
Sekhonyela said, “The matter has been brought to the attention of the risk management unit for further investigation. The department is committed to clean governance and effective use of resources at our schools. Officials visited the school on 25 August to start with the preliminary investigation. A police case was opened by the school against the alleged perpetrators.”
According to another governing body member, who also wished to remain anonymous, the absence of a principal at the school leaves a huge void in the school’s administration checks and balances.
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