Sad state: Phumula Gardens Secondary School in Ekurhuleni is in a dilapidated condition, but the principal stands accused of misusing funds. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
A Gauteng principal paid herself R326 684.84 from the funds of her school, while its infrastructure crumbles, with numerous broken windows in the dilapidated classrooms. A foul smell is permanently emitted from the visibly unhygienic kitchen where pupils’ meals are prepared.
Bank records between December last year and August — seen by the Mail & Guardian — show how Phahanyana Masemola, the principal of Phumula Gardens Secondary School in Ekurhuleni, transferred the institution’s funds into her personal bank account.
Concerned parents and community members have accused the Gauteng department of education of folding its arms and not acting on Masemola’s alleged corruption, demanding that she be removed from the school.
This week, members of the school governing body (SGD) and enraged parents stood at the school’s gate chanting, “Masemola must go!”
The provincial education department said that it had initiated an investigation into Masemola’s alleged misdeeds, adding that the principal had been “transferred” from Phumula Gardens, pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Meanwhile, a letter from the SGB dated November 2023, which has been seen by the M&G, said the principal had broken the rules around the use of school funds and detailed how she defied its instructions.
“The purpose of the financial policy is to secure transparency, accountability and sound management of the income, expenditure, assets and liabilities of the school.
“Only the school governing body may authorise payments over R1 000 for any item, or included items in the budget,” reads the letter.
It further described how Masemola — who had been on leave for six months, claiming she was suffering from stress — had come to the school and reversed the official instructions given by district officials.
The governing body also claimed in the letter that Masemola said she had spent more than R1 million on learning and teaching support materials this school year but had failed to provide any invoices or other proof of purchase.
Records seen by the M&G showed numerous deposits from the school’s bank account into the account of EP [Elizabeth Phahanyana] Masemola.
The R326 684.84 is not the total that Masemola allegedly misappropriated — that is just the total of the payments the M&G was able to trace.
The school’s financial records show many other suspicious payments to private persons which governing body members said were not suppliers and were not connected to Phumula Gardens in any way.
On 11 April, after the principal had transferred R17 250 to herself, the school was left with a paltry R435.64 bank balance before the education department injected R643 664.50 into the account on 24 April.
Sad state: Phumula Gardens Secondary School in Ekurhuleni is in a dilapidated condition, but the principal stands accused of misusing funds. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
When the M&G visited the school, there was visible decay, such as classrooms with no doors and damaged floors; hazardous electrical wires hanging from unsecured boxes; broken windows and blocked toilets and drains, the latter causing a stomach-churning stench.
Community activist Thobeka Mpondo told the M&G Masemola had disregarded the governing body by spending more than R300 000 allocated for maintenance and repairs.
She further described how Masemola was unapproachable and often resorted to violent language when challenged.
“That woman is very undermining and disrespectful.
Sad state: Phumula Gardens Secondary School in Ekurhuleni is in a dilapidated condition, but the principal stands accused of misusing funds. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
“She will swear at you like you are a nobody and everyone knows her — even at the previous school she was expelled for the same reasons and now she is here to ruin our school,” said Mpondo.
Another parent, who did not want to be named, said the school’s struggles had been going on for a long time and the officials from the education department had visited on numerous occasions, and had seen the poor state of the facility, but nothing had been done about it.
Reuben Ralephata, from the provincial education department’s head office, and Thabo Lebina, the Ekurhuleni district head, addressed parents on Tuesday at the school, trying to calm the volatile situation.
Lebina acknowledged the letter from the governing body, saying that the principal had laid a counter-complaint of harassment against it.
“I must say that I had an opportunity to sit down with the principal to allow her to make a presentation in relation to the problem of parents protesting outside the school gate.
“I also went outside and met the community, and allowed space to make the same presentation, while making sure that the principal is escorted outside the school safely,” he said.
Lebina acknowledged allegations of mismanagement of funds, the shortage of textbooks and stationery, and the school’s dilapidated infrastructure.
Ralephatha said people pointing fingers at each other would not benefit anyone.
“There is a letter from the SGB and also a letter from the principal. Therefore, procedurally, we need to investigate that, so that is why I am saying we all need to sit down and talk and figure out a way to fix this,” he asserted, adding he could not condemn Masemola, who was not at the meeting.
(Graphic: John McCann/M&G)
“We had requested the principal to be present so that she could also put her side of the story on the table because, in this country, umuntu asimgwebeli esakeni [we don’t sanction people without due process] — everyone has a right to be listened to.”
However, governing body member Benjamin Pheya said he felt the education officials were making excuses for their colleague.
“Also, why should we not discuss what is really going on without her because she knew she had to be here?” Pheya asked.
Speaking on behalf of the school and Masemola, provincial spokesperson Steve Mbona told the M&G that the department was aware of, and concerned about, the allegations of mismanagement of funds.
“We have launched [a] necessary investigation and the outcome thereof will determine action to be taken. In the interim, the said principal has been placed on precautionary transfer, pending the outcome of the investigations,” Mabona said.
He added the department was committed to “clean governance, transparency and oversight”, saying it would deal with any issues that negatively impacted on service delivery and the provision of quality education to all learners in Gauteng.