Durban — A newly appointed primary school principal said she was still in dismay after seeing her home and two vehicles burn down in flames on Sunday evening.
It is alleged that a few weeks ago there had been attempts to torch the school to prevent her from assuming her duties as the newly appointed principal. She said it all felt like a terrible dream she was yet to wake up from.
Nonkululeko Mbatha, principal at KwaNogcoyi Primary in northern KwaZulu-Natal, said she was sleeping on Sunday evening when the house helper came in and woke her.
“When she woke us up, I thought we were being robbed and criminals were inside the house, but I was shocked to see the fire.
“It has left me destitute. I lost my home, two cars and all my belongings. It is going to take a lot of strength and energy to recover all that I lost in the fire,” said Mbatha.
She said she knew who was behind the incident.
The National Association of School Governing Bodies general secretary, Matakanye Matakanya, said the association was shocked.
“We are very disheartened that whatever happened has led to someone losing all their hard-earned belongings.
“The strangest part in all this is that no one really knows the perpetrators behind the fire and what their motives were. They left us speculating whether they only wanted to burn the belongings or if they were attempting to take a life.
“Our biggest concern is that this will have an impact on pupils because the principal will not be reporting to work seeing that she is still recovering from the shock... this might lead to a suspension of classes,” said Matakanya.
Meanwhile, the ANC in KZN in a statement said there was a political motive behind the incident. It said that perpetrators were unleashed to intimidate Mbatha into giving up her position.
National Teachers Union (Natu) general secretary Doctor Ngema said: “Natu condemns any form of violence in schools and vandalism of property is unacceptable.”
Ngema said that Natu was not aware of the allegations that members of the union were trying to sabotage and take over the principal’s position.
“Our chairperson in the Nongoma branch had also applied for the same principal position. He was firstly recommended by the school governing body until such time that the process was objected to by Sadtu … Then Mbatha emerged as a principal. We are not aware that we tried to physically block Mbatha from taking the principal’s position,” said Ngema.
KZN SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said the union was calling for police and the department to leave no stone unturned in investigating the incident of arson at Mbatha’s home.
KZN Naptosa chief executive Thirona Moodley said the organisation was shocked and disturbed over the attack.
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