Food handlers fired at Batubatse for allegedly refusing to clean school toilets

A school principal at Batubatse Primary School has fired five volunteer food handlers for allegedly refusing to clean the school toilets.

The group told Steelburger/Lydenburg News they were hired at Batubatse in Praktiseer, but were recently shown the door after refusing to do some duties not stipulated in their contracts.

This publication is in possession of a contractual copy between the school and the cooks.

The women started working at the school on April 30. Their contracts were expected to run for a year, with a monthly stipend of R1 817. They were employed by the school management team to assist in the feeding scheme.

“According to our contracts, our duties include cleaning the food storages and kitchen rooms every morning and afternoon. We also have to clean cooking utensils. We are also expected to guide and assist young pupils to practise cleanliness when we give them food,” said one of the axed workers, Rebotile Malepe.

She said they were let go on August 11.

“After our refusal to clean the toilets, we were fired like dogs. We simply told the principal it was not part of our duties to clean the toilets. She got angry and told us never to set foot at her school again,” said one of the others, Julia Moraba.

The women told the paper they need their jobs back. “We were unfairly treated. We demand to be reinstated.”

Steelburger/Lydenburg News forwarded queries in relation to the treatment of the food handlers to the Limpopo Department of Education’s spokesperson, Mike Maringa, on August 16. He has yet to respond.

When the paper visited the school last Thursday, only one food handler with the help of some assistant teachers cooked for the 1 180 learners.

According to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), volunteer food handlers are responsible for the preparation, cooking and serving of meals, and for cleaning the cooking area. The NSNP said one food handler should be appointed for every 200 learners.