POLOKO TAU
A NGRY residents and parents have staged a mini-protest, calling for an urgent investigation into allegations of fund mismanagement at Totomeng Primary School in Meadowlands .
Police were called in to monitor the situation after a group of residents attempted to block the entrance to the school, and to prevent teachers getting onto the premises on the first day of school yesterday morning.
The Gauteng Education Department announced late last month that forensic auditors had been appointed to investigate fund mismanagement allegations that rocked two Meadowlands schools last month.
The department promised that auditors would be introduced to the schools’ governing bodies (SGBs) as soon as they reopened.
The group, comprising members of the Meadowlands Concerned Residents (MCR) and parents at Totomeng in Zone 8, wanted to know when the school’s audit would be carried out.
MCR spokesman Patrick Mohlophegi said residents had gone to the school to see if the auditing process had
started.
“Obviously, it has not begun as we met some officials we don’t know, who advised us to take the matter up with the district office. We have been to all the offices and through all processes, until we arrived at the MEC’s office,” he said.
“The MEC has made a promise and we want to make sure it happens. It wouldn’t take professionals more than 48 hours to scrutinise the finances here.”
Mohlophegi alleged the principal and an official from the department’s district office had paid someone R1 200 to do the auditing.
“There is proof that an amount of R1 200 was paid to RP Moepeng to do the auditing at the school on June 15. Apparently, the outcome was that the finances were in good order, but now we’re calling for an external auditor to come and investigate as soon as possible because we believe there is a lot that would be uncovered,” he said.
Resident Rebecca Diale said parents were “calling for speedy action by the department so that teaching and learning could continue harmoniously”.
“We’re worried because it appears to us that the staff at Totomeng were more concerned about filling their pockets and not about our children’s future.
“Teachers run their own tuck shops at the school and are always demanding money from parents in the name of raising funds for the school, but we never know how the money is used,” she said.
Totomeng SGB member Mohau Lekhae, who also joined the protesting parents yesterday, said she was “opposed to irregularities taking place at the school.
“The district office has been aware of the problems, but did nothing about it. There is no accountability at Totomeng and the department needs to act fast so that those responsible can be exposed and action taken against them,” Lekhae said.
But the department has condemned residents’ action at Totomeng.
Departmental spokesman Charles Phahlane said: “A forensic auditor has been appointed and will start as soon as they are introduced to the school governing body.
“We appeal to all stakeholders to avoid further compromising learning when there is a process under way. We also appeal to all to co-operate with the audit.”