Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

Parents of pupils at Malusi Secondary School in Blouberg outside Polokwane have accused officials in the school's management of fraud.

Lessons came to a standstill yesterday when angry parents confronted the school's governing body over allegations that a local ward councillor had demanded R2000 from a teacher who had just been appointed.

The councillor allegedly demanded the money from the teacher claiming he had paved the way for his appointment.

South African National Civic Association coordinator in Avon village Phophi Raletjena said they learnt about the matter yesterday and demanded that management open a criminal case against the teacher.

But management was reluctant to do so.

"That is why we are here today - to make sure that unscrupulous councillors who hide behind the ANC are brought to book," Raletjena said.

A teacher at the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the councillor admitted at a meeting two weeks ago that he had accepted the R2000 bribe money from the teacher.

"We told him to pay the money back to the teacher and he did," the teacher said.

Clyson Monyela, director of communications in the provincial office of the education MEC, said the department would wait until the matter had been reported to the police before taking action.