Barbie Mazeka, a Kwanogcoyi school principal in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal wept uncontrollably as she watched in horror the sight of her house burning to the ground.
Mazeka and her family survived the arson attack on Sunday unharmed, but her entire home and its contents perished in the fire.
Sunday World understands that at the heart of the furor is a fight over the school’s financial resources and who should take over as the principal.
Dumi Dlamini, a relative, told Sunday World on Tuesday that the family is still in shock.
“We believe that the intention was not only to set the house alight, but to kill everyone inside including innocent young kids,” said Dlamini.
“This incident left everyone trembling and terrified. It will be difficult to recover psychologically from this ordeal.”
Mazeka had just been promoted as the principal, commencing her duties on June 1.
Prior to her house being set alight, there were attempts to burn the school’s administrative building.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the province said there is a sinister motive behind the attack.
“Sadtu members for quite some time have been working in a hostile environment dominated by political interference from the IFP,” according to Nomarashiya Caluza, Sadtu’s secretary in KwaZulu-Natal.
“It has been made clear that teachers affiliated to Sadtu are not welcome at the school. There was also a fight that comrade Mazeka should not take over as the principal.”
Sunday World understands that the school had been rocked by allegations of corruption and fraud after it emerged that its governing body previously colluded to divert funds meant for leaner support for political campaigning leading up to the 2021 municipal elections.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
