Parents and community leaders picketed outside Mzamomtsha Primary School in Driftsands on Wednesday April 10, accusing the principal, Ndileka Kama, of maladministration.
The protesters claimed Ms Kama had failed repeatedly to address their concerns or answer questions.
Ms Kama said “no comment” when approached by Vukani and instead referred us to the Western Cape Education Department.
Community leader Liwelele Raxa claimed some of the teachers at the school had bribed the principal to get their posts and that parents had to pay R50 a month for a Grade R teacher the principal had hired without the parents’ consent.
“She is employing people without following due procedures,” said Mr Raxa. “There are people who reside in Site C who are employed here while there are people in this community who should be employed. Honestly speaking, there is no school governing body here to keep her accountable for her actions.
“There is a Grade R teacher who she employed, and that post was not advertised, and we learnt that this person was working as a street cleaner.
“We have tried numerous times to have a decent meeting with her, but it always turned out to be dramatic because she is rude. We want her to resign from this school.”
He claimed the principal was still leading the school while under investigation by the WCED.
Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed the department was investigating claims of financial mismanagement at the school, and she appealed for calm, saying the outcome of the investigation would determine how the department proceeded with the matter.
Zanele Khamla, who sells chips and sweets inside the school, said the principal had told her and other hawkers at the school that they needed to pay her R30 a week, but she had not told them what the payments were for.
