Imagine showing up for work every morning, doing your best to keep children safe, but going home knowing you have no money coming in. That is the reality facing some Diepsloot school patrollers, who claimed months of unpaid or incomplete stipends have left them borrowing from loan sharks just to put food on the table. Peace Manenzhe is among those who said they have not received a single payment since starting work in April.

“Without an income, I have fallen behind on my rent and now rely on the South African Social Security Agency grant to cover necessities. When that is not enough, I turn to loan sharks to make ends meet. We are literally drowning in debts just to survive each day,” she said. Despite her financial hardship, Manenzhe continues reporting for duty, hoping the situation will eventually be resolved.

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For fellow patroller Linky Malatji, the uncertainty has begun taking a toll on her health. She claimed she has only been paid for two months since starting work and believes the ongoing financial pressure has caused her blood pressure to rise.

“The nurses warned me that I should stop overthinking because it will eventually lead to me having a stroke. As a single mother, I am responsible for paying rent and supporting my household. I also live far from the school where I work and often have to borrow money just to afford transport to and from work,” she said.

Instead of using her stipend to improve her family’s circumstances, Malatji said she is trapped in a cycle of borrowing simply to get through each day. Colleague Matsatsi Lebeya said she has only received payment for June, despite continuing to report for duty daily. She questioned why payments have not been made consistently, saying their contracts clearly state stipends should be paid on the seventh day of every month.

“Imagine working for more than three months only to get paid for one month; it’s frustrating,” she said. “We have families to feed, and what’s upsetting is that we always get our money late, not according to the contract.”

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On August 11, the patrollers visited the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to demand answers. They were met by a representative who told them that, according to the department, money had been allocated to all schools, with only July’s payments outstanding.

GDE spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana confirmed: “The GDE can confirm that all patrollers have been paid accordingly across the province except for July 2026. We are working tirelessly to resolve the situation, and the payment is to be processed in due course.”

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