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At least five principals have been displaced from their schools in the past year in Mpumalanga where a teacher union is accused of running amok using violence, threats and intimidation against them.
So bad is the situation that two principals slipped into depression and were admitted in hospital for psychiatric evaluation after they were threatened and told not to return to their schools.
In one incident in October last year, more than 100 SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) members stormed Wolvenkop Special School to remove principal Patrick Sehoole, who they accused of having been improperly appointed.
The Sadtu members allegedly cut the razor wire fence and broke gate locks, demanding that Sehoole is removed from the school. When they could not find the principal who was in hiding, union members allegedly assaulted a grade R teacher, leaving her with bruises and injuries. The teacher opened a case of assault with the police but no-one was arrested.
The attack by Sadtu members at the school took place a month after the union had outlined during a meeting of its members that it planned to agitate for the removal of principals at five schools in the area.
The meeting held in Kwamhlanga outlined how some circuit offices would be “rendered ungovernable”.
The schools which were targeted in the resolution included Matimba Middle School in Moloto village, Wolvenkop, Prince SJ Primary, Litho Secondary and Bawokuhle Primary School. Also targeted, according to sources, are two circuit offices including the Phumula office.
According to a document drafted at the meeting, Satdu had decided that a principal appointed at the Wolvenkop Special School should be returned back to their former school.
Last month one of the parents at Wolvenkop approached the high court to seek an interdict against “unruly Sadtu members” and to force the Mpumalanga department of education to act and bring stability to the school.
The parent, Matshidiso Motaung, accused the department of “folding its arms, allowing Sadtu to do as it pleases”. She accused the department of failing to protect Sehoole who had helped the school turn around its finances.
In another incident, the principal of a foundation phase school in Gemsbokspruit also had to approach the court last month for relief compelling the department of education in Mpumalanga to protect her from threats by Sadtu members.
The principal, Ndhlelehle Buta, had taken action against two teachers, who are Sadtu members, who had apparently refused to sign attendance registers by reporting it to the circuit office which led to their salaries not being paid.
Buta fell into depression after she was prevented from attending Bawokuhle Foundation Phase School in June by the union, allegedly with the help of a local councillor. She had to be admitted to hospital for depression in July.
Another principal at Matimba Middle School, Gritta Mahlangu, was apparently told by Sadtu members to stop coming to the school after raising concerns about late coming and absenteeism of teachers without following proper leave procedures.
Mahlangu was admitted at Vista Clinic for a period of two weeks for major depressive disorder. Sadtu members accused her of embezzling school funds but she was cleared by the department.
Sadtu provincial secretary Walter Hlaise said: “Like all labour unions, our branches sometimes make threats in order to be heard.” Hlaise said the principals at Matimba Middle School and Prince S.J Primary were harassing teachers and support staff.
“In Phumula the circuit manager was appointing unfairly and charging principals who were not in her good books. The impasse was resolved and picketing was reversed,” Hlaise said.
Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said Sadtu was only involved in the removal of principals in two schools. He said other incidents where principals were forcefully removed had been led by community members with the education department's district office finding “a fair and transparent process” to amicably resolve the disputes.
Zwane said the department valued and embraced “broad stakeholder participation in keeping to the constitutional imperatives of the country”.
Principal fears going back to school
A principal who was admitted in hospital for two weeks due to work-related stress linked to protests led by Sadtu at her school fears returning to work next week.
Gritta Mahlangu, who was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, has been a target of protests by Sadtu members at the Matimba Middle School in Moloto. Sadtu wants to see her removed from the school.
Mahlangu's lawyer Msebenzi Masombuka said his client received treatment which included psychiatric care, psychotherapeutic services, nursing care and occupational therapy after she had been threatened by Sadtu members who wanted her out of the school since November.
Masombuka said Mahlangu, 43, had never been prone to sickness, with her last admission in a hospital being 25 years ago due to a minor kidney problem.
Mahlangu had been booked off due to her condition and is scheduled to return to work on Monday.
Meanwhile, Sowetan sent questions to Mpumalanga department of education spokesperson Jasper Zwane via his work email address and on WhatsApp on Wednesday last week about the five incidents where principals were forced out of schools allegedly by Sadtu.
The questions were later shared with Sadtu provincial secretary Walter Hlaise before he was approached for comment. He told this journalist that he had already seen questions sent to Zwane which he said had been circulating among their members in the entire province.
Sowetan was also contacted by teacher Christina Mzimba, who claimed to have also seen our questions sent to the department of education and wanted to give her side of the story in one of the violent incidents.
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