A Limpopo tribal authority is accusing both the district and provincial offices of the education department of deliberately delaying the release of a financial mismanagement report involving the school principal.
The Mahlathi Tribal Authority and the school governing body (SGB) of Giva Mahlathi High School outside Giyani made the allegations during recent interviews with Sunday World.
According to the SGB, the report—expected to be released more than a month ago—details allegations that the principal, Macia Constance Makhubela, misused over R180 000 in school funds within a month.
SGB deputy chairperson King Khoza told Sunday World that the school received an R187 000 grant from the department on May 15.
The funds were intended for maintenance and study resources. By June, the funds had reportedly been depleted without the SGB’s consent or knowledge.
“We were taken aback when the principal failed to explain how more than R180 000 was spent in just one month. Even the SGB had no record of any services rendered,” Khoza said.
Questionable expenditures cited
Khoza cited questionable expenditures, including R39 000 allegedly spent on repairing a school printing machine, thousands paid to teachers who attended a workshop, and R6 000 claimed by the principal herself for attending the same workshop.
He also questioned the R5 000 paid for grass-cutting services—despite a local service provider having offered to do the job for R1 000—and the R1 500 spent on electricity for a school with minimal power usage.
“When we asked for proof of payment or receipts, she refused to provide them and became arrogant. We decided to appoint an independent auditor, but she would not cooperate,” Khoza said.
He added that the school’s infrastructure remains in a dire state, with classrooms lacking windows and severe desk shortages forcing up to four learners to share one desk.
“We had planned to use part of the funds to fix those issues, not knowing the principal had other plans,” Khoza lamented.
The Mahlathi Tribal Authority representative, Israel Nkuna, expressed frustration that the education department has not released the report, despite assurances from provincial spokesperson Mike Maringa that an investigation would be conducted and shared.
“The circuit manager confirmed that the investigation has been completed, yet the report has not been released,” Nkuna said.
“If the department continues to withhold it, we will have no choice but to escalate the matter to the president or the public protector.”
Findings are an internal matter
When contacted for comment, Makhubela was not cooperative.
“I don’t have time to respond to the media because it’s not them who hired me but the department of education,” she said before ending the call.
Maringa confirmed that the department is handling the matter but insisted that the findings are in an internal document.
“We appreciate their concern, but the report will not be shared with the SGB or the tribal authority. This is an internal matter,” said Maringa.
“We even refused their request to appoint a private auditor because the department already has its own accredited auditors handling the case.”
