When Nomthandazo Dubazana, a teacher in eMaqhutshana Secondary under Qiniselani Manyuswa tribal council in Bothas Hill near Durban, received a call not to set foot at the school, she thought it was just an idle threat.
But the hoax soon became real when Dubazana walked into the school on Monday hoping to prepare for the reopening of the third school term and was met with a handwritten notice. It was posted on the school’s gate with the message: “Nina zinja, asinidingi lana eMaqhutshana.Uma ningahambi nizofa,” read the threats written in isiZulu.
When translated into English it means,” You dogs are not welcome at this school. If you refuse to leave, you will die.”
This prompted a terrified Dubazana to request a transfer fearing for her life.
“When I saw the threatening words I was shocked and at the same time feared for my life. I have no intention of going back to that school. I’ve heard stories of teachers being assassinated and I cannot put my life in harm’s way,” said Dubazana.
The notice went on to list the surnames of the teachers that the orchestrators of the message did not want at the school, namely Dubazana, Mposula, Mabizela and Nxumalo. It was written with black and red permanent markers.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi confirmed the incident, saying a team of investigators had been dispatched to the school to ascertain the facts.
“The teachers took leave of absence because of what is happening and they fear for their lives. The MEC has sent a team of investigators and their report will give us a clue of what is happening,” said Mahlambi.
Sunday World understands that at the centre of the hostility is a power struggle between various factions inside the school fighting over resources. The skirmish spilled over to the community who are taking sides.
“The situation is tense. It stems from fighting over positions and the school feeding scheme and resources such as the money of norms and standards provided by the department for school operations.
“At one stage, I was informed by a police officer whom I’m close to that I should be careful because there was a plot to kill me,” said another teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity. He explained he had asked for a transfer to another province, but it has been delayed.
It is also believed some teachers who are not from the area are being accused of taking local jobs.
Nomarashiya Caluza, the South Africa Democratic Teachers Union general secretary in KwaZulu-Natal bemoaned the incident. “Teachers cannot work in conditions where their lives are being threatened. We have already seen brutal murders of teachers while on duty in this province. It’s a worrying trend.”
KwaZulu-Natal over the years has seen a spate of incidents of teachers who were ambushed at schools and killed. While the use of assassins to eliminate perceived opponents has been common in the taxi industry and the politically-motivated killings, it has now spilled over to the education sector.
