AN AUDIT report into the affairs of the troubled Cosmo City Secondary School has shown that the chairperson of the school's governing body is not as clean as he makes himself out to be.
Yesterday, Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy told Sowetan: "The report revealed that the principal has problems managing the school and that is why we placed it under administration and asked her to report to head office.
"The audit report also shows that the chairperson of the SGB Mr Shumani Thomoli is not above board. He has been renting the school out to churches."
Principal Welheminah Matsebatlela's husband is the acting district director.
The report into the affairs of the school was instituted after the Congress of SA Students and the local ANC Youth League called for Matsebatlela and deputy principal Maano Ramadwa's removal for allegedly mismanaging funds.
On Monday, Gauteng education department head Boy Ngobeni said that attempts to mediate in the dispute between Matsebatlela and Thomoli had failed. Thomoli claims he has not received a letter in this regard.
Three pupils were arrested and charged with malicious damage to property, public violence and assaulting police officers. They appeared in court yesterday. No teaching has taken place there this week.
"Hooliganism and thuggery cannot be accepted," said Creecy.
On Tuesday, the department obtained a court order against the SGB and pupils, prohibiting them from disrupting classes.
The report also noted that the principal had weak policies but did not recommend action against her. Instead, it recommended that the school management team be trained in financial matters.
Creecy said that Thomoli had involved people in the school who did not have children there, and claimed they were part of the SGB.
She said the community did not want Thomoli at the school and said he had been elusive because he knew they wanted to serve him with notice. She said a parents meeting was scheduled for Saturday.
Cosmo City Secondary School is one of the worst performing schools in the province. In 2007, the school achieved a 45percent matric pass rate; 46percent in 2008; 60percent in 2009 and 48percent last year.
Thomoli disputed the claims: "Now they say that I am corrupt? We had a church at the school last year and they paid R3500 which is accounted for in the school books. We want the department to bring back the school's financial books so we can send them to our own auditors."
Cosmo school chair 'fingered'
AN AUDIT report into the affairs of the troubled Cosmo City Secondary School has shown that the chairperson of the school's governing body is not as clean as he makes himself out to be.
Yesterday, Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy told Sowetan: "The report revealed that the principal has problems managing the school and that is why we placed it under administration and asked her to report to head office.
"The audit report also shows that the chairperson of the SGB Mr Shumani Thomoli is not above board. He has been renting the school out to churches."
Principal Welheminah Matsebatlela's husband is the acting district director.
The report into the affairs of the school was instituted after the Congress of SA Students and the local ANC Youth League called for Matsebatlela and deputy principal Maano Ramadwa's removal for allegedly mismanaging funds.
On Monday, Gauteng education department head Boy Ngobeni said that attempts to mediate in the dispute between Matsebatlela and Thomoli had failed. Thomoli claims he has not received a letter in this regard.
Three pupils were arrested and charged with malicious damage to property, public violence and assaulting police officers. They appeared in court yesterday. No teaching has taken place there this week.
"Hooliganism and thuggery cannot be accepted," said Creecy.
On Tuesday, the department obtained a court order against the SGB and pupils, prohibiting them from disrupting classes.
The report also noted that the principal had weak policies but did not recommend action against her. Instead, it recommended that the school management team be trained in financial matters.
Creecy said that Thomoli had involved people in the school who did not have children there, and claimed they were part of the SGB.
She said the community did not want Thomoli at the school and said he had been elusive because he knew they wanted to serve him with notice. She said a parents meeting was scheduled for Saturday.
Cosmo City Secondary School is one of the worst performing schools in the province. In 2007, the school achieved a 45percent matric pass rate; 46percent in 2008; 60percent in 2009 and 48percent last year.
Thomoli disputed the claims: "Now they say that I am corrupt? We had a church at the school last year and they paid R3500 which is accounted for in the school books. We want the department to bring back the school's financial books so we can send them to our own auditors."
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