The announcement by the Mpumalanga education MEC of planned disciplinary action against the whistleblower who revealed cheating in the province’s matric exams was outrageous, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.
”If the action continues it will give credence to reports that the Mpumulanga government tried to cover up the scam, and that it took a whistleblower with a conscience to approach the police in order to expose the scam because of a lack of action on the province’s part,” said DA spokesperson Helen Zille.
The DA was responding to a Sunday Times article which stated that the Mpumalanga education department planned to take disciplinary action against a marker who blew the whistle on cheating in the matric exam.
The teacher who marked the higher grade Physical Science Paper 2, reported the alleged irregularities to police in Middelburg after she was told by a senior marking official to provide proof of the fraud.
The newspaper reported that Thomas Msiza, spokesperson for the province’s education MEC, Siphosezwe Masango, confirmed that the department was considering taking disciplinary action against her once the investigation by police was completed.
Msiza said the teacher had signed a declaration of secrecy document and that she broke this contract when she went to the police.
Zille said the way the province handled the matter would be a test of whether or not Mpumalanga had turned around its ”shocking record of allowing well-meaning whistleblowers to be victimised or lose their jobs”.
”The provincial education department should be applauding her courage in approaching the police in spite of the risk to her job, not quibbling over bureaucratic details and treating her as a criminal.”
National education Minister Naledi Pandor has stated that her department supported anyone who helps to uncover corruption.
”The DA appeals to her to uphold her commitment by ensuring that this situation is rectified immediately,” said Zille. – Sapa