For seven years, a KwaZulu-Natal school principal has pocketed a monthly salary but has not reported for duty at any school. His earnings for the period amount to almost R2 million,
Linda Leslie Gumbi, the principal of Embuyeni Combined Primary School in Ndwedwe outside Durban, was removed from his school by disgruntled parents and teachers in 2003 but, despite his attempts to return to work and the education department’s efforts to place him elsewhere, he is still not working.
However, the provincial department continues to pay his monthly salary of R20 000 plus his annual bonus, resulting in his earning about R1 820 000 over the seven-year period.
According to the department, Gumbi is one of 81 school principals in KZN who are “displaced” because of various disputes. The department said most of these principals had been without schools since 2006 but were still being paid.
In Gumbi’s case, in 2002 his school’s governing body accused him of squandering school funds and stealing food which the government supplied for the pupils.
They also accused him of driving his taxi and transporting commuters during school hours.
This led to their kicking him out of the school at the beginning of 2003.
However, Gumbi maintains that the allegations were unfounded, although he admitted that he operated a taxi business. He said he did this after community members, who live near the school, asked him to help them with transport.
Gumbi said that in 2004 the department had placed him at KwaMashu’s Mlekeleli Primary School to teach Grade 7, but he had left in 2005 because he felt he should be in a senior position.
He had reported to the department’s circuit office in Ndwedwe every school day.
“I just sit there doing nothing. This has frustrated me because I want to work. I have science, maths and technology expertise which I should be using to empower children,” said Gumbi.
In 2007 he approached the Durban High Court in a bid to force the department to allow him to return to work as a school principal.
In 2009, Judge Leona Theron ruled that he should be assigned to any school in KZN as a principal or be given the position of inspector of schools, superintendent of education management or deputy chief education specialist. But the court did not specify the timeframe in which the department should comply with the order.
The department has so far failed to carry out the order.
Last week, the department held a meeting with Embuyeni Combined Primary’s school governing body to try to get Gumbi back to the school, but parents were adamant that Gumbi could not return.
Chairman Sibusiso Luthuli said: “The education inspectors tried unsuccessfully to force us to allow Gumbi back, but we rejected him.”
Education spokesman Sihle Mlotshwa said attempts to find a place for Gumbi had met with resistance from the governing bodies of several schools.
“The problem is that no school wanted to accept him following the dispute at his former school. Since then the department has been trying to place him, with no success,” said Mlotshwa.
He said the department had also given Gumbi a list of three Ndwedwe schools – Ngcinimfundo, Tholumusa and Ndlabazana Primary – which needed principals, but he had rejected them.
“He did not accept the offers because he said the route to those schools passed by his former school and he felt his life would be in danger if he had to travel on that road.”
KZN Education MEC Senzo Mchunu said he had been shocked to hear about Gumbi’s situation last week. Of 81 displaced principals, 11 were in Ndwedwe, he noted.
“They report to the district office every day and just sit there doing nothing. Others left their principal posts to do level 1 duty, which is teaching, while earning a principal’s salary.
“We are investigating what led to their situation. We are also trying to find them schools,” Mchunu said.
