Rotten food allegations in KZN
DURBAN - THE Department of Education has yet again rejected allegations that pupils at Inanda’s Eziphembeleni Secondary School were served rotten food with maggots, but the findings were again not accepted by the whistle-blowers who said they had put their jobs on the line to expose this.
Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the whistle-blower, Educators Union of SA (EUSA) president Scelo Bhengu, who is also a teacher at the school, had proven to be “an untrustworthy whistle-blower”.
“Of all the persons interviewed, none collaborated the story as propounded by Bhengu in media outlets. The department noted with concern that Bhengu had raised similar allegations before which were proven to be false thus rendering him an untrustworthy whistle-blower,” said Mahlambi. He said the department was also in possession of text messages from Bhengu allegedly threatening the pupil who did not corroborate his version of the story as per their alleged agreement.
“Other videos have since surfaced of Bhengu using his lesson designed for technology to teach ‘politics’. This is the same Bhengu who returned to work in November 2020 after serving three months’ suspension without pay for misconduct. The department calls on officials to be truthful in reporting wrongdoings and to avoid spreading misinformation, that only serve to tarnish the positive image of the KZN Education Department,” said Mahlambi.
Bhengu was disappointed with what he called “ yet another corrupt investigation by department officials in order to protect themselves”.
“The department officials in the school nutrition programme failed dismally in their duties. They chose to play cheap politics,” said Bhengu.
The probe was the department’s second in just two months at the school. Bhengu said the department had tried many times to get him fired, but failed. Last year the Education Labour Relations Council found his dismissal unlawful and he was reinstated, he said.
He was suspended for three months for allegedly telling the security guard to close the school gate for the pupils to protest inside the school premises.
“I referred the matter to the ELRC, which found the dismissal unlawful and ordered my reinstatement. In 2015, I was dismissed for six months on allegations that I had passed 52 pupils who had allegedly failed Grade 11.
“During the internal disciplinary hearing, the department failed to prove the allegations. I wouldn’t be surprised if I get dismissed again for exposing the maggots issue,” said Bhengu.
A video, allegedly taken from the school’s kitchen, showing a 5kg samp with live insects inside the pocket, was circulated on social media.
Following the first investigation, the department said the school nutrition team and a qualified dietician found no issue with the food. The department conducted yet another probe. This time, a teacher who had exposed this video, was called to testify, but she complained that investigators made her feel like a victim, rather than a witness, and branded the probe as biased.
Daily News
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