Sakhile Mokoena

Sakhile Mokoena

Two Mpumalanga school principals have been suspended pending investigations into allegations of misappropriation of school funds.

Mphaphamisi Mthethwa, of Salubindza Primary School near Hazyview, and Charles Msibi, 48, of Emjindini High School in Barberton, are alleged to have failed to account for their respective schools' monies.

The Salubindza school governing body (SGB) last month suspended Mthethwa after it picked up irregularities in the school's financial statements.

The spokesman for the provincial education department, Hlahla Ngwenya, said Mthethwa had not been charged yet because the SGB was still trying to collect the schools' bank statements and cheques.

Msibi was also suspended last month after financial irregularities in his school records were picked up by the department's circuit manager, Thoko Khoza.

When Khoza challenged Msibi about the irregularities, he is alleged to have failed to provide a proper explanation.

Ngwenya could not say how much the two principals had allegedly misappropriated.

"The investigations will tell us exactly how much money has been lost. At the moment we don't know how much is involved," said Ngwenya.

Last month the principal of Lydenburg Primary School, Rashid Khan, was cleared of any wrongdoing after investigations into his using his school's funds for transport to and from work.

The investigations found that Khan had been given the money by the school's SGB.