Phoenix principals in school bank account fiasco

Durban - SEVERAL school principals in Phoenix and surrounding areas are accused of using a school’s bank account to raise funds for a December team-building retreat for teachers.

The governing body of Hopeville Primary School in Phoenix is calling for an independent audit of the school’s bank account after it alleged there were irregularities in transactions from the account.

It’s alleged that the school’s principal, Benny Maistry, along with principals and circuit managers from surrounding areas, have been using the account for their personal interests.

The Sunday Tribune has learnt that the group of principals and circuit managers, who call themselves the Verulam Circuit Managers Committee, have been using the account to raise funds for a team- building retreat at the South Coast next weekend.

Between June and August, principals and circuit managers allegedly deposited over R50000 into Hopeville’s account. Then, between July and October, R40000 was paid to Rockwood Theatre, an entertainment venue at Sibaya Casino.

A source confirmed that the use of the venue for fund-raising events held on August 8 and October 18 had cost R20000.

Provincial department of education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa said it was illegal for a school official to use the school’s bank account for fund-raising for personal matters.

“These are serious allegations and we will start investigating immediately,” he said.

SGB chairperson Clayton Joseph said he raised the alarm with a department official who advised him to apply for an independent audit of the school’s account.

“In July, the principal told us that the department approved the R20000 payment to Rockwood Theatre for fund-raising. We were deceived into approving this payment. We were unaware, until recently, that further money was paid out and other principals paid money into the account,” he said.

When the request for an audit emerged, Joseph said he received a letter from Maistry’s legal representatives, Chris Gounden and Associates, demanding that he stop making allegations against Maistry.

“We are simply calling for an audit to go ahead,” said Joseph.

Last week, several principals held a picket demonstration at the school in support of Maistry and called for the school governing body to resign.

Maistry declined to comment on the matter.