LIMPOPO – The Limpopo Department of Education said it was deeply concerned about the reported cash-for-jobs scandal which allegedly involved members of the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu).
A weekend newspaper (City Press) reported that Sadtu officials were selling senior education positions to teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo for a minimum of R30 000. The report says that alleged promotions for cash racket has led to scores of illegal appointments across the country.
Speaking to Steelburger/Lydenburg News the teacher’s union secretary in Limpopo, Mr Matome Raphasha denied any involvement in the scandal. He called on anyone with evidence that its members were involved in the scandal to come forward.
“We never issued any list or sold jobs, there is no proof, these are just allegations,” he said.
Mr Pitsi Maloba, spokesman for the department of education in Limpopo, confirmed to the paper that his department received a list with names supplied by the chairman of Sadtu (Mr Ronald Moroatshehla) for positions including that of principals, circuit and district managers.
“We don’t have any proof about the allegations that the union is selling jobs but what I can tell you is that we received a list of people who Sadtu wants us to hire for top posts; among them are relatives of chairman of Sadtu, Moroatshehla. We are still investigating the matter and strong action will be taken against the culprits,” he said.
Maloba added the department ran its processes free and fair. It is not the first time the union had been accused of selling top positions , in 2006 a few of Sadtu’s members were apprehended for selling jobs.
According to City Press, the fraudulent scams work as follows
• A teacher who wants a promotion identifies the position he/she wants
• Typically, this is a job that they know the incumbent will soon be leaving, either because they are retiring or because they are resigning from the department.
• That teacher then approaches a local Sadtu official who they know to be involved in selling positions for cash, and hands over a minimum of R30 000.
• The Sadtu official then meets with members of the school governing body and department officials to rig the process.
• If the post is filled, the school governing body is used to agitate the incumbent if necessary to force him/her out of the post.
• The school governing body then recommends the teacher who paid for that job to the selection panel.
• The selection panel, which comprises paid-off officials from the department, then ratifies the governing body’s recommendation
• The teacher gets the job.
