Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
SUSPENDED Milton High school headmaster William Ncube and his deputy Nosizi Muleya are set for a disciplinary hearing on January 18 next year. Ncube and Muleya were suspended in October after an audit exposed alleged financial rot at the school. They allegedly swindled the institution of more than $10,000 and routinely flouted sound governance procedures.
Sources in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education told The Chronicle: “Ncube and Muleya will know their fate on 18 January.” Malusi Mazibuko, who was deputy head at Gifford High school and Sithabisiwe Philime, a senior teacher from the same school, are running the school as caretaker heads.
Bulawayo Provincial Education Director, Dan Moyo, said the matter was private. “Some of these things are confidential. It’s between an individual and his employer, the Public Service Commission. They are not meant for the public,” said Moyo.
According to a letter dated October 23 outlining the charges against Ncube and signed by the district education officer, Jane Ndebele, the ministry is charging him with misconduct. “Following receipt of a report alleging misconduct on your part, I have to inform you that a charge of misconduct should be preferred against you,” reads the charge sheet.
“You assigned Everson Paulos, Songqibo Dube and Sonny Nyathi driving duties between 0630hours and 1800hours instead of letting them do their core duties of teaching during the mentioned time. As an ex-officio member of the SDA, you failed to advise SDA members against collecting sitting allowances as there is no provision for such allowance in their operating statute SI 379 of 1998.”
Ncube is accused of authorising the construction of a boom gate, guardroom and painting of a classroom at a total cost of $2,912 without holding finance committee meetings or following procurement procedures.
“You authorised the installation of blinds and curtains at the school hall at a total cost of $3,245 without following procurement procedures. The initial cost was $2,925 but an additional $320 was added to the price bringing it to $3, 245,” reads the charge sheet.
He was also accused of sending an unreasonable number of people, seven, to collect a kombi in Beitbridge thereby unnecessarily prejudicing the school of $310. Ncube is also accused of receiving management incentives of $350 in May 2014 after incentives had been banned.
“On December 15 you were granted $300 in respect of T and S (transport and subsistence) advance for processing the duty free certificate in Harare. On January 5 you were also given $300 for the collection of a duty free certificate in Harare,” adds the charge sheet.
“On February 18, 2015, you were advanced an amount of $460 for the collection of number plates. On the three occasions you were given an amount of $1,060 where you over claimed by $412.63. This was an improper and unauthorised use of public funds.”
Ncube is alleged to have also asked for an interest free loan of $2,150 from the SDA account for a chess competition in Durban in November 2014 and re-imbursed the money in February this year although terms and conditions for the loan were not spelt out.
The charge sheet shows that Ncube, on top of the loan, also asked for an additional $300 pocket money and $73 for health insurance from the same account to do Nash business which was an unfair charge to the school. “Between January 8, 2014 and June 11, 2014, you authorised the payment of incentives under various allowance titles namely driving head’s HOD timetable, sports heads, sports teacher-in-charge, TIC clubs, master’s token of appreciation, SDA workers token of appreciation thereby prejudicing the school a total amount of $6,886. This was an improper and unauthorised use of public funds,” concludes the charge sheet.
Charges against his deputy Muleya are not clear but sources said she was suspended by Ncube prior to receiving his own suspension letter from the ministry.