A school principal from Khubvi will be reporting to the circuit office for the time being until the ongoing conflict between him and members of the school-governing body (SGB) has been resolved.
In the latest dispute, the principal has been accused of spreading muti on the school grounds. A video has been circulating showing the principal, along with two elderly women, visiting the school late on a Friday night. It is alleged that they sprinkled an unknown substance on the premises. The incident reportedly took place three weeks ago.
Upon seeing the video, parents of children attending the school were outraged, accusing the principal of practicing witchcraft. Nearly all of them accompanied their children to school the following Monday, seemingly intent on confronting the principal. However, the school gates were locked.
The situation was defused when Mudaswali Circuit Manager Mr Mpfariseni Ramagoma arrived and addressed the parents. He first met with SGB members, the Khubvi Pastors' Forum, representatives of the local traditional leadership, and other stakeholders.
"I was not sent by the Department of Education to address you, but as a circuit manager, I feel it is my responsibility to intervene before the situation escalates further. Together with other stakeholders, we have decided that the principal will report to the circuit office until this matter is resolved. I therefore urge all parents to allow their children to return to class and continue their education," he said.
The Khubvi Pastors' Forum was asked to conduct a cleansing ceremony and offer prayers at the school gates. Only after this was done, did parents allow their children to resume classes.
Some teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the school environment as tense and unhealthy. One teacher claimed that the principal ran the school like a dictatorship. "We are not given a chance to contribute to decisions regarding the running of the school," she said.
The chairperson of the SGB, Mr Lutendo Tshifhango, said that a heated meeting had been held the following Tuesday afternoon, but stakeholders had failed to reach a resolution. "We have agreed that the principal will continue reporting to the circuit office until the issue is resolved. We are planning a meeting with SANCO, traditional leaders, parents, and other community stakeholders, and I hope they will find a solution," he said.
Tshifhango added that the relationship between the SGB and the principal had been severely damaged. "I was on the verge of resigning when this incident happened," he said, accusing the principal of failing to cooperate with teachers and SGB members.
The principal, Mr Fhatuwani Manyatshe, was unavailable for comment, and repeated attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
The provincial spokesperson for the Department of Education, Mr Mike Maringa, confirmed that the principal is now reporting to the circuit office. "The district informed us about the incident immediately after it happened, and we are also aware of the video recorded at the school," he said.