The parents of Horizon Academy’s learners say they are worried about the ongoing hearsay that the school might close soon.

They say there has been a lot of infighting within the Malalane school’s management, and it has made them very uncomfortable.

“The issue was brought to our attention when we received a text sent on the WhatsApp group [in December], indicating the change of banking details. It has been one issue after another since then. We were called into a meeting at the beginning of the year and most of the questions we had remained unanswered. It is unsettling for us as parents to know the school might be closing soon, according to some of the rumours we hear,” said one parent who did not wish to be named.

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While teaching and learning are currently proceeding as normal, the school’s management is at loggerheads in court battles over ownership of the school.

“As the owner of Horizon Academy and chairperson of its executive board, I cannot rule out the possibility of closing down the academy if these unauthorised individuals continue to unlawfully occupy and operate it. If I were a parent, I would certainly ensure my children were placed in a stable and legally managed school,” said Horizon Academy’s executive board chairperson, Pulickal Matthew.

Matthew said he is the sole owner of the school and that the current management is ‘trespassing’.

“It is evident that the trespassers’ primary motive is financial gain. They have gone to the extent of opening a duplicate bank account with Capitec in the name of ‘Horizon Independent School’, which is not the school’s genuine one, and have been consistently instructing parents to pay school fees into this unauthorised account. I am the sole owner of the school, having personally invested millions of rands into its development since its inception in 2013.

“No one can claim otherwise. The school lease is in my name for 25 years, and I have the official school registration certificate and a recent validation certificate, which are under my company, as proof,” he said.

Matthew also claimed that the school principal, Johan Hennery, had been forcefully removed from his office and has been forced to conduct his duties from his car.

“Several legal battles are ongoing. The honourable high court has ruled [in January] that the trespassers, who forcefully entered the school during the annual [December] vacation, must vacate the premises and restore the property to its previous state. However, despite bringing this matter to the attention of the police, no action has been taken, raising serious concerns about the influence these individuals may have.

“Reports also indicate that even the principal, deputy principal and other key staff members have been subjected to harassment and humiliation. Their designated offices, assigned by me, have been forcefully occupied by these trespassers and their armed security personnel. Shockingly, even the school’s sickroom has been taken over. The principal is now forced to work from his own vehicle due to the hostile takeover, and discrimination against certain staff members is becoming alarmingly evident,” said Matthew.

Some parents have since removed their children from the school because of the uncertainties.

“The moment I saw the issue of banking details being changed, I knew I had to act right away. I have moved my daughter to another school, because the squabbles were bringing uncertainty for her future,” said another parent who wished to remain anonymous.

A board member who wished not to be named has, however, refuted the claims that the school might be closed down. He told Corridor Gazette that teaching and learning is continuing smoothly, and that the previous owners are the ones perpetuating panic in the parents.

“It’s not at all true that Horizon Academy is closing down. The school is fully functional with 350 learners from Grade R to 12. All the 42 staff members are working at the school.

“The question of closing down the school is propaganda by some of the parties with business interests. We had a parents’ meeting on January 13, and an interim school governing body was elected on that day,” said the board member.

Asked who the real owner of the school is, he told Corridor Gazette that he could not reveal that information due to security reasons.

“These are internal matters. For better convenience and security, documents are available at the school for personal verification, by appointment, to parents only. The future of the learners registered with Horizon is secure and bright.

“The school is targeting a 100% pass for the 2025 matric class. All the curricular and co-curricular activities are taking place under the leadership of Jeremiah Tshoba, who was a chief director for the Mpumalanga Department of Education [DoE] and a veteran in the field.”

The DoE said it was not aware of the leadership squabbles at the school, but that it would investigate the issue.
“Private schools operate as a business and they are independent from the department. We don’t have much interference on how they run their business. We do, however, monitor curriculum content to ensure that it is in line with our norms and standards.

“If the school closes, we will work closely with the parents to try and make sure that their children are placed in schools that have space. Our key responsibility is to ensure that learners are in class,” said the Mpumalanga DoE’s spokesperson, Gerald Sambo.