Private college ‘lied’ to get millions in state subsidy

The SA Council of Educators (Sace) and Umalusi are probing a dodgy Joburg college, which has failed to pay teacher salaries for months and is also accused of misrepresenting the number of its employees in its application to receive millions in state subsidies. 

Afro-Kombs College, which has been receiving a subsidy from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) since 2011, received a government grant of R2-million for the past academic year according to its latest financial statements. The Hillbrow-based school has been denounced by sources for misrepresenting its teacher profile in its application for the subsidy to the GDE.  

A source who refused to be named for fear of reprisals revealed that six of the 14 names submitted on the application to the GDE are those of registered professional teachers who are not employed by the school.  “These are educators who have never worked at Afro-Kombs College, however, they submitted their CVs at the beginning of the year because the school had multiple vacancies as a result of massive resi nations in October 2023.  

“Afro-Kombs College didn’t disclose all the 23 educators because the majority are Zimbabweans who are undocumented and do not have Sace (South African Council of Educators) certificates to teach in South Africa,” the source said. Sunday World has seen co-pies of the application submitted to the GDE and copies of the teacher register signed by teachers when they check in and out for work.   

The school’s GDE application for 2024 was submitted on February 27. However, the teacher register dating from February 26, shows that the school has 23 teachers, containing only eight of the names,  which appear on the GDE application form.

The school’s finances are also in shambles. Teachers claim that they have not been paid their full salaries, some as far back as October last year. Teachers earn from R6 300 a month but they are paid between R1 000 and R2 000 with a promise that the balance would be paid later. The school also owes the landlord of the building more than R9.5-million in rent and utilities.

Sunday World has seen a copy of the May invoice from Tee Properties which shows a balance brought forward of R9.3-million, plus interest of  R100 472 and rent of R221 929 and utilities.  Principal Bikithemba Thebe, allegedly told staff they would be paid their full salaries when the GDE released the first batch of the subsidy. Thebe confirmed that staff members have not been paid for months. He said the bulk of the subsidy was used to pay salaries, but there was still a shortfall.

He said their financial problems started in 2020 after the outbreak of Covid-19. “The enrolment is too low to run the school at present. The school is allowed to enrol 632 learners and now it has 180,” he said.  “There are mistakes l might have made to try and balance up things so that the college may operate while things are being fixed,” said Thebe. 

The non-payment of salaries was reported to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) as recorded in an inspection report by the GDE dated April 17. The report states: “A group of aggrieved educators forwarded a complaint to DBE. The educators have not been paid since December 2023.”  

In its   findings, the GDE report signed by an official from the department and the principal noted: “The school is getting a subsidy from GDE. A total of 15 teachers were interviewed. The teachers informed the officials that the last time they were paid a full salary was in October. Teachers are paid between R1 000 – R2 000. In other months they get a half salary.”  

The department recommended that the school must pay the backlog of salaries with the first batch of the subsidy. “The principal will give monthly progress reports,” the official wrote in the report. In line with South African Schools Act regulations, provincial departments are required to pay the subsidies to independent schools that qualify for subsidy each quarter. However, teachers said that after the first payment of the subsidy was received by the school in May, the school’s director, 21-year-old Harry Nxumalo, called them to a meeting on May 6. 

  “He told us that the subsidy will be used to pay the South Africa Revenue Service, auditors, loans and lawyer fees,” said one of the teachers. “This is grossly unfair after we have dedicated nearly half a year working diligently being promised when the subsidy comes, we will be paid.” 

Sace spokesperson Risuna Nkuna said a case file was opened on June 14, 2024 and is pending a formal investigation. The Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) also confirmed that it was following due process regarding a complaint that it received on May 10 regarding the school.  

Article source – Phumla Mkhize (Sunday World)