Posts

PRESS RELEASES

State social, justice systems fail to protect abused pupil

In early 2017 Corruption Watch was alerted by a whistle-blower to a situation at Siphesihle Secondary School in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) involving a 16-year old pupil and the principal of her school. The principal is alleged to have taken the learner to his house where he took advantage of the young woman by sexually abusing Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Whistleblower teachers are our heroes

Today is World Teachers’ Day and we’re taking the opportunity to salute those teachers who put their duties to their pupils above their own interests, and report corruption. They are our heroes for the week. The 2017 World Teachers’ Day (WTD) marks the 51st anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organization/Unesco Recommendation concerning Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Jobs-for-sale report finds numerous irregularities

After two postponements, the long-awaited Department of Basic Education’s investigation report into the selling of teaching posts was made public last week. Most of the initial media allegations – those that sparked the investigation – focused on the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), but the eight-member task team made sure to investigate the role Read more >

INVESTIGATION

CW report exposes money mismanagement in schools

In its report released today, titled Loss of Principle, Corruption Watch reveals that between January 2012 and July 2015 more than 1 000 reports have been received from the public regarding corruption in schools across South Africa. Of these reports, 54% implicate principals as the primary culprits in corrupt activities. These reports follow a pattern Read more >

HEROES & ZEROES

Teachers are the world’s heroes

This week we celebrated the 21st World Teachers Day on 5 October – a day proclaimed by Unesco in 1994. This year’s theme was Empowering teachers, building sustainable societies. Every day at Corruption Watch, we see teachers who go beyond the call of duty and who put their pupils’ needs ahead of their own. We’ve Read more >

INVESTIGATION

Corruption suspect still has access to school funds

By Kavisha Pillay First published in The Star Sluggish processes and negligence by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) have allowed a school principal to have access to school finances even though he is under investigation for corruption at two Soweto schools. In March last year, The Star reported that Lebo Mashuga, the principal of Read more >

CAMPAIGNS

SGBs succeed with transparency, trust and teamwork

By Valencia Talane When the school governing body (SGB) system works, it works very well. When it doesn’t, the consequences are disastrous and it is usually learners who suffer the most. This is the view of Thabo Shole-Mashao, a TV and radio personality and an entrepreneur. Until the end of 2014, Shole-Mashao had been chairperson Read more >

CAMPAIGNS

Parents must get involved in SGB elections

By Valencia Talane If your child attends one of South Africa’s public schools you have between now and March 2015 to think hard about who will manage his or her school for the next three years, and how. Parents must participate in all aspects of the management of their children’s schools in order for school Read more >