A committee that was tasked with investigating allegations of bribery and corruption in the hiring of the principal of Ziphathele High School in Clermont, west of Durban, has recommended that the process be started afresh after a bribery scandal.

The committee found that there was substance to allegations that one of the interview committee (IC) members demanded a R50 000 bribe from a candidate who later lost out.

The report dated 3 March 2025 was obtained by African Times early this week.

The losing candidate, identified as VN Masuku, claimed that Sanele Shange demanded the bribe and said he was going to share it with four other unnamed people.

“Mr Masuku produced the printed whatsapp chats that were allegedly sent by Mr Shange, whereafter he forwarded the same to the chairperson of the grievance committee. The chats between them were about the developments with regards to the bribery,” the report said.

The committee said the fact that Masuku took long to disclose the bribery allegations is neither here nor there. It also pointed out that the fact that Shange played far too many roles in the process cannot be easily ignored.

“He chaired the IC, he unnecessarily squeezed participation in the role of the secretary by inviting Masuku, the very candidate he allegedly sought bribery from. He scored in the interviews, a very critical role at interviews.

“Mr Shange also visited the school to see Mr Masuku although he denied before the formal opening of the academic year of 2025. A finding cannot be made about taking Masuku into private discussions. The whatsapp chats denied are found to have exchanged between Shange and Masuku.” reads the report.

The committee upheld Masuku’s complaint and then recommended that the interview process be re-started.

The grievance is upheld.

The process must be redone from the interview stage.

The selection process must be completed on or before 15 March 2025.

“The IC Chairperson, Mr Shange must be recused from the interviews and ratification processes, therefore a new chairperson must be selected by the IC. The conduct of Mr S Shange must be investigated by the Governance and Management,” the committee recommended to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.

Shange has maintained his innocence, saying Masuku is a sore loser who is fabricating stories about him.

“Every employee has a right to lodge a grievance. Remember that a person who lodge a grievance wants a post. So fabrication of stories about why he didn’t get a post is not true (sic).

“In fact the panel was persuaded by observers to change the points received by candidates to favour the grievant and they refused; and we are now paying the result of our stance,” Shange said when he was asked about the report findings against him.

Also in the picture is a South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) member identified as Naledi Moroka.

According to the report, Moroka approached Shange and said he must change Masuku’s score. That was apparently because Masuku is not a member of the ANC aligned SADTU.

“At this stage Shange began to disclose that they (IC) were approached by one Naledi Moroka of Sadtu to change the score of Masuku. The IC refused the proposition. He answered in the affirmative that he was one of the 3(three) scorers.”

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary of SADTU, Nomarashiya Caluza said they have no idea who Moroka was and they never sent her to represent the union.

“SADTU would never send a member to do such things. Participation of SADTU during shortlisting and interviews is to observe the fairness and transparency of the processes.

“At no stage should a member or observer arrange for the changing of scores. Having said that, observers have a responsibility of exposing and reporting in the meeting if something contrary to the policies and guidelines on promotions happen,” Caluza said.

The spokesperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, Muzi Mahlambi, said they always urge their employees to immediately report any extortion to the department and police before interview outcomes are announced.

He said reporting after losing the job renders the complaints untrustworthy whistle-blowers and witnesses.

“In actual fact, the principal of the mentioned school was appointed almost ten years ago,” Mahlambi falsely claimed.