LEBOGANG SEALE and SIMPHIWE NGEMA
PARENTS at a Soweto school yesterday stopped the principal from holding a fundraising magic show – condemning the practice as a perpetuation of “foolish” superstitions and claiming that the money raised would disappear.
Pupils at Isaacson Primary School in Rockville had left their classrooms just before noon to watch the one-hour show, for which each had paid R5.
But five angry school governing body (SGB) members and another parent arrived and immediately ordered the pupils back to their classrooms.
“We will not allow our children to watch this foolish practice. How will our kids benefit from this nonsense?” asked SGB secretary Menzi Radebe, who represented the rest of the members.
He also accused the principal, Thulare Bopape, of disrupting teaching by hosting the show during school hours. “Not only is the show disruptive, but it indoctrinates the children’s minds with wrong beliefs and superstitions.”
Parents said they were surprised when their children returned from school with letters indicating that they should pay R5 for a magic show to be held between noon and 1pm.
The show was apparently being held as a school fundraiser.
Parents accused Bopape of misusing the school funds, undermining the SGB and running the school like his personal fiefdom. “He claims to be fundraising, but we don’t know where the money goes,” Radebe said.
Bopape, who said he would show the parents audited statements, defended his decision to host the show. “As teachers, we thought that the child must be taught and entertained,” he said.