Teaching, learning halted at Estralita Special School, Nehawu alleges nepotism

Teaching and learning have been halted at Estralita Special School in Mashishing, Mpumalanga. This after workers affiliated to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) downed tools following allegations of mismanagement and nepotism against the principal.

The principal is also accused of failing to take action against a worker labelled a racist. Estralita is one of the 12 severe intellectual disability schools in Mpumalanga.

Concerned parents claim the workers have been on strike for the past two months…

“So, it is affecting the whole family because as a parent of a child with special needs, you cannot leave this child alone. There have been many accidents that have happened since the school closed or opened and closed again. It’s costing us a lot of money because we have to hire somebody to look after our children as well.”

“They are costing us because we have to hire someone who is going to take care of our child, sometimes that person won’t even understand what to do and what not to do so it is very risky and (it’s) a problem.”

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the Provincial Education Department, Jasper Zwane, says a task team appointed to investigate the allegations that led to the workers’ strike is yet to finalise its work.

“And that task team did their part only to discover that they were also allegations that came as they were investigations relating to financial mismanagement. And that required that the department institute another team that will be competent to investigate issues of financial mismanagement. And that team indicated to us that in the next two weeks it will be able to finalise the report and submit it to the HoD so that they can take the necessary action.”