Frustrated parents demand action from KZN Education Department over Westville Senior Primary issues
Image: Supplied
A group of parents whose children attend Westville Senior Primary School has accused the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (DoE) of failing to deliver on its promises to investigate allegations of misconduct against the school's principal.
In a strongly worded statement, the parents said they were left 'deeply disappointed and frustrated' by what they described as the department's 'troubling lack of capacity and inability to conduct timely, thorough, and transparent investigations.'
The grievances against the principal are not new. In May, parents staged a protest outside the school, citing more than 50 unresolved complaints since 2023. Allegations ranged from financial mismanagement and procedural misconduct to the unilateral dropping of isiZulu as a first additional language.
The principal was suspended in August 2024 to allow investigations to take place but was later reinstated after a review.
'On 28th May 2025, during a formal meeting chaired by Mrs TA Gumede (DoE), Mrs Gumede committed to the parents to complete all investigations and deliver comprehensive reports to the School Governing Body (SGB) by 12th June 2025,' the statement read.
Parents also questioned Gumede's conduct during that meeting, saying she was 'disrespectful to parents'.
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The parents said no reports were submitted by the June deadline, and when the DoE convened a meeting with the SGB on 14 August 2025, parents allege the department once again failed to deliver.
'The entire panel arrived empty-handed, without a single completed report, rendering the meeting ineffective. The panel's dismissive attitude and alleged breach of confidentiality to certain parent members was not only unprofessional but deeply insulting to the educators, parents, and SGB members who have tirelessly advocated for answers and never failing to follow due process,' the parents' statement said.
They also raised concern that the 'DoE are only willing to investigate complaints by the Department employed teachers, and not the teachers employed by the SGB'.
In response, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: 'The department has written to the SGB with the new management plan that has proposed dates to meet them and the parents this month.'
The parents said they were now considering legal action. 'Parents, community, and educators have lost all confidence in the DOE's ability or willingness to do their jobs acting in the best interests of the school community,' the statement concluded.
THE MERCURY
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A group of parents held a protest outside Westville Senior Primary earlier this year. Image: Supplied A group of parents whose children attend Westville Senior Primary School has accused the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (DoE) of failing to deliver on its promises to investigate allegations of misconduct against the school's principal. In a strongly worded statement, the parents said they were left 'deeply disappointed and frustrated' by what they described as the department's 'troubling lack of capacity and inability to conduct timely, thorough, and transparent investigations.' The grievances against the principal are not new. In May, parents staged a protest outside the school, citing more than 50 unresolved complaints since 2023. Allegations ranged from financial mismanagement and procedural misconduct to the unilateral dropping of isiZulu as a first additional language. The principal was suspended in August 2024 to allow investigations to take place but was later reinstated after a review. 'On 28th May 2025, during a formal meeting chaired by Mrs TA Gumede (DoE), Mrs Gumede committed to the parents to complete all investigations and deliver comprehensive reports to the School Governing Body (SGB) by 12th June 2025,' the statement read. Parents also questioned Gumede's conduct during that meeting, saying she was 'disrespectful to parents'. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The parents said no reports were submitted by the June deadline, and when the DoE convened a meeting with the SGB on 14 August 2025, parents allege the department once again failed to deliver. 'The entire panel arrived empty-handed, without a single completed report, rendering the meeting ineffective. The panel's dismissive attitude and alleged breach of confidentiality to certain parent members was not only unprofessional but deeply insulting to the educators, parents, and SGB members who have tirelessly advocated for answers and never failing to follow due process,' the parents' statement said. They also raised concern that the 'DoE are only willing to investigate complaints by the Department employed teachers, and not the teachers employed by the SGB'. In response, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: 'The department has written to the SGB with the new management plan that has proposed dates to meet them and the parents this month.' The parents said they were now considering legal action. 'Parents, community, and educators have lost all confidence in the DOE's ability or willingness to do their jobs acting in the best interests of the school community,' the statement concluded. THE MERCURY
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