Kumalo head in school funds embezzlement storm

Online Reporter

KUMALO Primary School headmistress Stella Mhlanga and two other school officials have been accused of embezzling US$12 000 in school funds.
The other two officials are School Development Committee (SDC) bursar Rumbidzai Magwaku and senior teacher Nombulelo Maiswa, who are suspected of misappropriating the school’s funds.
The matter has been reported to the police and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, which has tasked its auditors with investigating the school’s financial records.
Concerns were raised after the SDC noted irregularities in the school’s financial books.
Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Benard Mazambani confirmed that the SDC had reported a case involving missing funds at the school.
“We sent our auditors to verify these allegations. Once we receive their report, we will proceed with the next steps. We have our own procedures for conducting investigations and will release a more comprehensive statement once we have gathered our findings. We also understand that the police have received a report and are looking into the matter,” said Mazambani.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, declined to comment on the case, referring enquiries to the national police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who could not be reached for comment.
The SDC’s treasurer, Vimbai Rudenya, confirmed that the matter had been reported to the police’s Commercial Crime Unit under case number CRB 6312/025.
“A report of suspected embezzlement at the school has been made to the police. We discovered that school funds were not deposited, even though the accused had signed for the money in the school’s daily banking book,” she said.
A source at the school claimed that the allegations were causing significant distress to the accused individuals, particularly the headmistress, who was allegedly blaming other staff members.
“As the final gatekeeper and authority, she must take responsibility for this mess. According to the Education Act (Chapter 25:04), the headmistress is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of all school finances.
“She has signed off on transactions, yet she claims to have no knowledge of some of them. The Act also mandates that school heads exercise strict financial control to ensure funds are not misused,” said the source.
The source further alleged that, in some instances, banking records were missing from the school’s master banking book, yet unusual deposits appeared in the school’s account.
On Tuesday, Mhlanga issued a circular to parents and guardians requesting them to provide the school with all 2024 receipts, stating that this was necessary to update their accounts.
Mhlanga, who is no stranger to controversy, was accused of corruption and assaulting a fellow teacher at the school in 2023.
In 2015, she was unceremoniously dismissed from Magwegwe Primary School, where she was headmistress, due to alleged misconduct and inappropriate policies. At the time, parents of pupils at the school led a protest, prompting anti-riot police to intervene.
She was also accused of running the school in an autocratic manner, ignoring parental concerns.
Additionally, she had a brush with the law when she allegedly accidentally shared an explicit image of herself on WhatsApp. However, she was acquitted of the charges in court.
Last year, she was suspended from 14 August to 4 November, pending a disciplinary hearing. During her suspension, the Ministry of Education appointed her deputy, Eneles Sibanda, as acting head.
She was, however, reinstated on 4 September under unclear circumstances, and her disciplinary hearing was subsequently shelved.