Thousands of pupils have lost valuable classroom time since the start of the 2025 academic year due to a go-slow by teachers protesting the controversial appointment of a principal.
All schools under the Mkhuhlu circuit near Hazyview, Mpumalanga, have been affected, with pupils sent home as early as 10 am everyday.
The protest was led by members of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), who accused a circuit manager of hiring a principal based on a personal relationship.
“It is disheartening to see our children coming back from school in the morning without any lessons taught,” said parent Thobile Nkosi. “We were hoping things would change, especially in a month like April with so many holidays. They could have offered full-day lessons to recover time lost.”
Nkosi said her son was fortunate to come home and find her there. “Some kids roam the streets because their parents knock off late. Not everyone has a domestic worker. I’m unemployed and survive by selling snacks, so at least I’m home early as well.”
The matter reached the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature this week, where EFF MPL Ntsako Mkhabela raised a motion condemning the disruption.
“We rise to raise concerns over disruptions in the Mkhuhlu circuit, where teaching and learning has been severely affected. Sadtu members in the circuit embarked on a go-slow in response to the appointment of a new principal at a local primary school,” said Mkhabela.
“It is alleged that the appointed individual shares close personal ties with the circuit manager, as both are from the same area and have known each
other for years. As a result, the appointment is widely viewed as a friendship-based deployment.”
Mkhabela said the alleged collusion had resulted in children suffering needlessly.
“This situation has caused disruption to teaching and learning across the whole circuit. Schools in Mkhuhlu have only been operating until 10 o’clock daily. We cannot allow our schools to be brought to a standstill due to administrative issues.
“If such appointments go unchallenged, they perpetuate a culture where key leadership roles in our schools are handed out based on personal connections instead of professional qualifications,” she said.
The EFF called for a full investigation into the allegations to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Education MEC Cathy Dlamini said such disruptions were becoming a norm in the Bohlabela education district.
“We are totally against the disruption of teaching and learning, as it is affecting our learners. Maybe this is one of the reasons Bohlabela did not perform as expected,” Dlamini said.
“It happened last year. A number of circuits were affected. We cannot agree that our children should be affected because there is a grievance in terms of an appointment. That has nothing to do with our learners.”
Dlamini confirmed that the go-slow had been brought to their attention.
“We had an engagement with the acting district director of Bohlabela to ensure the issue is being resolved. If the issue – the appointment – happened, we will investigate and find out if the allegations are true.
“We, however, do not agree with the disturbance of learning and teaching.”
Sadtu provincial secretary Walter Hlaise confirmed the protest but claimed normal teaching resumed on Wednesday following the education department’s intervention.
“The union is never happy when children miss school. But our members had no choice,” said Hlaise.
“It’s sad that government leaders act only when children have already paid the price.”
He said teachers were frustrated by repeated cases of circuit managers appointing their friends instead of qualified candidates.
“These are not new claims,” Hlaise added. “But this time, the department listened. A top official has been sent to investigate.”
