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5 TEACHERS ACCUSE OFFICER OF DEMANDING BRIBES

30/09/2020 01:00:00 BY STANLEY KHUMALO AND JOSEPH ZULU

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MANZINI – Five teachers from Mhlatane High School have reported a senior officer in the Ministry of Education and Training to his principals and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The teachers are said to have reported the senior officer following claims that at the height of an investigation within the school, elements of professional misconduct and corruption were exhibited by the civil servant.

The senior officer is purported to have demanded money ranging between E15 000 and E20 000 from the teachers apiece. The money was to be allegedly given to senior personnel in the ministry, who would in turn make the teachers’ cases ‘evaporate’ while ensuring that they (teachers) retained their employment with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).

Appointments

The TSC is responsible for making appointments (including promotions and transfers) and selection of candidates for appointment, confirmation of appointments, termination of appointments, disciplinary control and removal from office of teachers, among many functions.

The senior officer is known to this publication but will not be named as no charges have been preferred against him at the moment. The investigations were conducted by the Ministry of Education and Training in February 2019.

According to impeccable sources, the senior officer is allegedly to have offered the said teachers a way out of their troubles at the height of investigations at the school. This was when the teachers were suspended following the investigation, which was said to have involved several teachers, both male and female.

They were accused of engaging in relationships with pupils and were suspended pending investigations into the allegations.

Suspension

While serving their suspension, it is alleged that the senior officer demanded the money from the teachers and some of them paid it. It was gathered that two of the teachers accompanied each other when meeting the senior officers for the alleged payments.

Impeccable sources relayed that due to the distance between Mbabane and Pigg’s Peak, they used mobile phones to communicate at most instances, leading to the alleged payments.

While engaging the officer, it was alleged that they recorded conversations with him and they have since shared these with the ministry and the ACC. It is alleged that when they paid the money, the teachers took turns so that they could take pictures of the event.

This publication contacted two teachers from the school and one of the educators, *Joko, has since come forward demanding to be reimbursed his money.

“I want my money back,” he said.

This teacher, in particular, claimed that he paid the official a sum of E15 000 which was to guarantee that he kept his job.

Joko claimed that he was suspended after a pupil accused him of looking at her with ‘sexy eyes’. He has since reported the matter to the Ministry of Education and Training and even alleged that he had paid the official so that he could be reinstated.

Money

It is alleged that the Ministry of Education official approached Joko and told him that if he wanted to return to work, he should pay up. The official is alleged to have demanded E20 000, but Joko allegedly said he did not have that amount.

Joko alleged that because he did not have the money, he was forced to seek assistance from money lenders. He alleged that he borrowed the money to pay the official and be reinstated.

However, Joko alleged that he noticed that some of the other teachers had been reinstated yet he and another were still at home.

He alleged that when he enquired why he had not been reinstated since he had already paid the E15 000, the official failed to give him an explanation.

Joko alleged that he was then forced to reveal to some of his relatives that he had paid the official E15 000 to be reinstated.

He alleged that he even went to the Pigg’s Peak Police Station, but detectives there advised him that they could not follow up on the matter because it had already been reported to the TSC.

He alleged that after this, he reported the matter to the Hhohhho regional education officer (REO).

According to some of the text messages which had been leaked between Joko and the education officer, the former insisted that he wanted his money. “Don’t act smart, bring back my money,” he allegedly stated in the messages.

The official then responded, “Who am I chatting to?”

In the messages, the official then asked Joko, whom he was referred to as Nceku, if he was aware that bribery was a crime. “Do you want to have a criminal record?” the official allegedly asked.

Another teacher, who is alleged to have offered E10 000 declined to comment on the matter.

The Head teacher of Mhlatane High School, Dr Mandla Dlamini, also declined to comment.

Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, was also reached for comment since Joko claimed that the matter was reported at the Pigg’s Peak Police Station. However, Vilakati said there was no record of this matter.

*Not real name to conceal teacher’s identity