Mayibuye High School caretaker principal allegedly hires relatives, department launches investigation
According to a concerned parent the caretaker principal is treating Mayibuye High School like his personal fiefdom, but members of the Gauteng Department of Education, as well as the South African Democratic Teachers Union, are looking into the reports.
Barely a year into their existence, Mayibuye High School, which began operating in this academic year, is already plagued by alleged nepotism and an autocratic interim principal.
A concerned parent, who spoke anonymously to protect the identity of her children at the school, said the acting principal requested money during the recruitment process. As a result, most of the teachers employed at the school are relatives of district officials and principals.
The parent added that the process of electing the School Governing Body (SGB) was delayed by the principal to ensure that all the posts in the school were filled by a ‘so-called’ independent panel of corrupt officials and principals.
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“He has hired his girlfriend at the school. She was the first one to get a permanent contract, although she doesn’t deserve it because she’s not qualified. After we put pressure, as parents, on why we don’t have an SGB, he told us that whether we have an SGB or not, he will ensure that he finishes with recruitment, and that it’s his school.
He told us that he is not scared of anyone in the department because he influences the office of the MEC for Education [Matome Chiloane]. As a parent, I was taken aback by this statement, because it simply means that he is selling all posts because he knows he is untouchable.”
The informant added that there are teachers who are paying him money monthly to keep their jobs, receiving threats over their contracts being terminated if they do not comply.
“He is the only signatory to the school’s account. He does not report to anyone regarding the school’s finances and curriculum. He is a referee and a player in the Department of Education because he brags about his close relationship with officials in the office of the MEC. The school is full of nephews and relatives of district officials and principals and the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) officials.”
Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said they are aware of the said allegations and view the matter in a serious light.
“We have since launched necessary investigations, and the outcome thereof will determine action to be taken.
It must be noted that Mayibuye Secondary School is a newly established school, only starting operating in 2025, and as such, the establishment of the SGB couldn’t be immediately conducted when the school started, since all learners and parents are new in the school. Consequently, the SGB was elected in August 2025.”
He added that the said school did not have a principal, since the post had to be advertised in an open vacancy in the Government Gazette. Mabona said the recruitment and selection processes are currently underway. “As an interim solution, a caretaker principal has been appointed.”
Sadtu’s Ivory Park/Midrand branch secretary King Malete said they are distancing themselves from the allegations, or any involvement in the recruitment processes of Mayibuye High or alleged corruption thereof.
“We were only elected into office on April 11 this year. At the time of our election, the recruitment processes for level 1 posts had been concluded by the institutional development and support officer [IDSO] of the school.
We have been expressing our dissatisfaction about the delay in the election of the SGB in the school since April.
“After the election of the SGB we expected compliance with the South African Schools’ Act (SASA), by allowing the SGB to conduct its own recruitment processes. However, to our dismay we saw all processes being run by so-called ‘independent panels’, in violation of SASA.”
Lwazi Mazwi, branch chairperson, added that any allegation of corruption involving recruitment has absolutely nothing to do with Sadtu in Ivory Park/Midrand.
“We were mere observers in all processes, as per collective agreement 1 of 2020. All your questions should be directed to the person who is in charge of the school, and who conducted the recruitment processes.
As a union we were never consulted about these so called independent panels, and we have been against the use of independent panels from day one. Had we been consulted we could provide answers, but we are also in the dark about what transpired in the school as we were deliberately put in the dark.”
He concluded that their members are victims in this whole situation, and that they are working hard to bring justice and a conducive working environment for them in the school.
The interim principal was contacted on October 27, and requested a meeting with the paper on October 28. However, he did not respond to our calls at the time of the meeting.
Should he return our calls and agree to the meeting, his response will be updated.
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