A conflict for the position of principal at Nogcoyi Primary School in Nongoma is suspected after the house and two cars of the person who should officially enter the position on Sunday were set on fire.
Sadtu KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson, Ms. Nomarashiya Caluza, said they have no doubt that the burning of the “unwanted” Mrs Barbie Mbatha’s house is linked to the dispute over the position she was supposed to occupy in the middle of last month. She said on May 18, 2023, Mrs Mbatha should have officially taken over from the one who has been holding this position for a while. “When it was time for that to happen, the incumbent, who has about a year left to retire, said that she is not ready to hand over the reins to Mrs Mbatha,” said Ms. Caluza.
She said that this was postponed to take place at the beginning of this month (June) but it did not happen again following the emergence of problems. “On Friday (June 2), they said the teachers came to the school in the morning and found the gate closed with unknown locks. They were broken into, and when we went inside it was found that two rooms had been set on fire, among them was the work room, which had all the documents to hand over the leadership of Mrs. Mbatha,” she said. She went on to say that this did not interfere with the handing over of the position to Mrs Mbatha but it also interfered with learning.
@journalistsihlemavusoWATCH: The home of Barbie Mbatha, the Principal of Nogcoyi Primary school in Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal has been burnt down. Mbatha is reportedly facing threats after she was announced as the new principal of the school. Before she took the contested position, the school’s administration block was partially burnt down.
She pointed out that the school has a history of being uncomfortable with Sadtu teachers and they have no doubt that this is what led to Mrs Mbatha’s appointment as principal not being accepted. She stated that they are in a meeting with the agencies involved to come up with solutions.
