Diepdale pupils want principal out
'If he doesn't resign, there won't be learning'.
The disruptions were sparked by the cancellation of the Cell C Talent Show, last Friday.
“There are a number of issues that led to the school’s disruptions,” said the School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson Sipho Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said that people raised issues of the principal allegedly not having the school’s best interests at heart and the failure rate of Grade Nine pupils in the June exams.
“Out of 119 pupils only two managed to pass the exams.
“Another issue is the maintenance of the Diepdale’s sport facilities and electrification.
“The other is about a pupil suspended for allegedly being in possession of drugs, following a school raid,” he said.
Ndlovu said, “It is still not clear if the pupil was suspended or expelled, as the department of education is investigating the matter.
According to Ndlovu, there was a camp for matrics which was introduced by the principal when he took over.
“It started at R4 000 per pupil, then he reduced it to R2 000 and finally it was R1 000. However, the pupils said they didn’t have the money
“The principal refused to allow Cell C to present the show You Got Talent at the school because he wanted the company to pay R20 000.
“As a result the project was dropped.”
“We were supposed to go to camp which was meant to help us prepare for our prelim and final exams,” said a matric pupil Rulani Singo (18).
She said, “He made us pay R1 000 and were told that the other money was donated anonymously.
“When our parents wanted to deposit the money into the school’s account, they were allegedly told that they can’t.”
“If he does not resign, there won’t be learning.
“We have finished our syllabus and want our money back,” said Singo.
The department’s director Danny Williams said that school cannot continue without a principal.
“We will investigate the financial issue of the school and potentially takeover the camp matter,” said Williams.
