By OBAKENG MAJE

The disgruntled Teaching and General Assistants at Madipelesa Primary School in Taung alleged that the school principal, Eva Bolokang has illegally deducted money from their salaries.  

This comes after these Teaching and General Assistants allegedly continued to receive R350 social grants, while employed by the government and failed to declare. One of the disgruntled Teacher Assistants, Goitsemang Lepang (31) alleged that the principal has already deducted R875 from her salary without her permission and now threatens to fire her when she demands her money back.

“I was not aware that supposed to declare that I am still receiving an R350  grant. She continuously deducts money from our salaries without our permission.

“We are not even sure if that money has been deposited back into the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) account or not. I have two children and also stay with my mother and I am the only one working in the house,” she said.

Lepang alleged that the school still owes her R3400 salary for January and March 2022 and they will embark on a protest to demand their money back.  

Another teacher assistant, Xoli Bosman shared the same sentiments. Bosman (29) alleged that the principal has illegally deducted R1750 at once from his salary.

“The principal was supposed to come up with a better strategy to deduct the money rather than taking it at once. It is so sad that the initiative was supposed to alleviate unemployment, but we are still plunged into poverty.

“The method used to repay the R350 grants is not working in our favour. I was not aware that, I was supposed to declare that I am still getting an R350 grant. So, I feel like the principal has put us under duress and threatened to fire us if we do not cooperate,” he said.

The North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said there is nothing sinister with what the principal has done because she has acted in line with the department’s rules and regulations.

Malindi said school principals should ensure that teacher assistants sign an acknowledgement letter of debt reflecting the chosen option and confirmation of receiving the grants.

“They should also provide a list of all teacher assistants who have signed the acknowledgement letter of debt to the circuit office. Principals, based on the option chosen by the teacher assistants, deduct the amount from the stipend prior to processing the stipend as per the chosen option.

“The school elect the option to transfer the recovered/reimbursed amounts by either transferring the recovered funds to the Provincial Education Department

(PED) bank account or the PED withhold the total recovered/reimbursement from future transfers to the school,” he said.

Malindi said then the school will inform the circuit of the option they have elected for the payment of the recovered amounts.

Meanwhile, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said in a statement that 288 000 young people across the country have benefitted from this Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI).

Minister of DBE, Angie Motshekgwa spokesperson, Hope Mokgatlhe said the initiative has given hope to many young South Africans. Mokgatlhe said it has also set them on a path of self-discovery and awareness.

“Many have spoken about how this has been a life-changing experience for them. It has given them a sense of appreciation of what it is like to be involved in something whose outcome and impact are far-reaching and long-lasting.

“Many have spoken about how they never imagined themselves working with children or being a teacher. But, their involvement in the PYEI has encouraged them to take up teaching as a career,” she said.

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