Sibongile Mashaba
Sibongile Mashaba
Three weeks after teachers walked out in protest over the appointment of a new principal at St Peter's Claver Primary School in Pimville, Soweto, the impasse has not been resolved.
Ten teachers were suspended for opposing the appointment of Flabia Mosoeu, who they claim is not qualified for the job.
They also claim her appointment was a case of nepotism because she is the wife of what they call the "self-proclaimed" chairman of the private school's governing board.
The chaos has left more than 1000 pupils sitting at home for three weeks.
There seems to be no end in sight to the problem as the school has been running without a board of governors since the beginning of the year.
Efforts to track down the school owner, Bishop Buti Tlhagale, were fruitless yesterday.
But last week the teachers told Sowetan that Mosoeu's husband, Nat, had imposed her on the school.
A member of the school's management, J Fox, who suspended the teachers, has refused to talk to teachers, parents and the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu).
A meeting scheduled with Sadtu last Monday did not take place because the Mosoeus and Fox did not attend.
A Sadtu official said they were still trying to resolve the matter.
"We met with Fox on Friday and discussed the reinstatement of the suspended teachers. He said he would take up the matter with the people involved," he said.
The official said the school wanted the teachers to go through a disciplinary hearing before being reinstated.
"The matter of reinstating the teachers is not in Sadtu's hands, we are just representing them," he said.
A meeting between Sadtu and Fox has been re-scheduled for today.
A parent, Daniel Kometsi said: "The school management does not seem to care. They refuse to talk to us."
The school's previous principal, Matilda Giwu, retired last year.
Private school chaos continues
Sibongile Mashaba
Sibongile Mashaba
Three weeks after teachers walked out in protest over the appointment of a new principal at St Peter's Claver Primary School in Pimville, Soweto, the impasse has not been resolved.
Ten teachers were suspended for opposing the appointment of Flabia Mosoeu, who they claim is not qualified for the job.
They also claim her appointment was a case of nepotism because she is the wife of what they call the "self-proclaimed" chairman of the private school's governing board.
The chaos has left more than 1000 pupils sitting at home for three weeks.
There seems to be no end in sight to the problem as the school has been running without a board of governors since the beginning of the year.
Efforts to track down the school owner, Bishop Buti Tlhagale, were fruitless yesterday.
But last week the teachers told Sowetan that Mosoeu's husband, Nat, had imposed her on the school.
A member of the school's management, J Fox, who suspended the teachers, has refused to talk to teachers, parents and the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu).
A meeting scheduled with Sadtu last Monday did not take place because the Mosoeus and Fox did not attend.
A Sadtu official said they were still trying to resolve the matter.
"We met with Fox on Friday and discussed the reinstatement of the suspended teachers. He said he would take up the matter with the people involved," he said.
The official said the school wanted the teachers to go through a disciplinary hearing before being reinstated.
"The matter of reinstating the teachers is not in Sadtu's hands, we are just representing them," he said.
A meeting between Sadtu and Fox has been re-scheduled for today.
A parent, Daniel Kometsi said: "The school management does not seem to care. They refuse to talk to us."
The school's previous principal, Matilda Giwu, retired last year.