BALDWIN NDABA
A GAUTENG school principal who allegedly spent R124 000 on a bakkie for his own use remains in charge of the school’s finances despite serious allegations against him.
Gerrie Nortje, principal of Dawnview High School in Germiston, allegedly used the bakkie for three years since April 2008, clocking almost 90 000km. None of the teachers were allowed to use it – even for school-related matters.
Nortje stopped using the bakkie after the school governing body (SGB) lodged an official complaint against him in September this year. The bakkie is now gathering dust on the school grounds.
The Star is in possession of the cash invoice for the bakkie, bought from a Nigel dealership. The school is registered as the legal owner of the vehicle.
Nortje is also facing allegations of tender rigging and fraud after he allegedly appointed his friends’ companies to do business with the school.
The business transactions included collecting school fees from defaulters, and providing textbooks as well as computers, including fixing them.
In 2007, Theisen Moodley established the company TM School Management Consultants CC during Nortje’s tenure as principal.
Moodley and Nortje had a verbal agreement which allowed Moodley to charge the school a monthly fee of R13 806.94. Moodley also opened a bookshop, and the school bought books from him.
Both these verbal contracts have been questioned by the SGB. Nortje, according to SGB members, has failed to produce copies of any written contracts to them.
The SGB brought these allegations to the attention of Gauteng MEC for Education Barbara Creecy on October 6 after the Ekurhuleni regional education department failed to deal with the complaints.
Included in the complaints of which The Star is aware is an allegation by the SGB that Moodley forged the signature of Shubnum Singh, a Johannesburg High Court State advocate, on a letter to the Gauteng Department of Education recommending a pay rise of R4 000 for Nortje this year. In May this year the department officially approved the extra payment, as well as hikes for others.
The deputy principal, Thomas Stoltz, is receiving an extra R2 000 and some teachers are getting R500 more each month. Ordinary support staff are receiving extra payments between R150 and R250.
In their letter to Creecy, the SGB argued that the payments were unjustifiable because the school’s performance was average.
“This matter has been brought to the attention of Mr Tau and Ms Gcebeshane of the department, but the interest in this matter has been dismissive, to say the least. They were already informed of the serious irregularities last year but did absolutely nothing to prevent further irregularities,” the letter stated.
It said the school had lost good teachers because of the department’s failure to act, and the remaining teachers had been victimised.
“Worse, school funds running into hundreds of thousands of rands have been misused. Section 38 applications which were fraudulently applied for were approved. There is proof of nepotism, tender fraud and fraudulent submission of documentation to the department.”
And the SGB contends that the school is below par academically.
The Star contacted Nortje and Moodley about the allegations against them. In his reply, Nortje said he has been advised by the department not to comment.
Moodley denied all allegations.
“I was employed by the school in 2003 when it was experiencing a high number of defaulters. The principal was Mrs A Murray. When Mr Nortje took over, we consolidated the agreement. Yes, I also sold books to the school. The SGB was aware of it. It is also not true that I forged Mrs Singh’s signature. The principal told me that the SGB had agreed that I should sign on their behalf.”
Moodley confirmed that he was not a member of the SGB, but all their decisions were communicated to him by Nortje.
The Department of Education said it was investigating.
“The department is aware of the allegations levelled against Mr Gerrie Nortje, the principal of Dawnview. Forensic auditors are concluding an investigation into the finances of the school and will make actionable recommendations to the department,” said spokesman Charles Phahlane.