Kumalo Primary School headmistress Stella Mhlanga and two other school officials are facing allegations of embezzling US$12 000 from the schoolโs funds through under-banking and other fraudulent activities.
The other two allegedly include School Development Committee (SDC) Bursar Rumbidzai Magwaku and senior teacher Nombulelo Maiswa, who are suspected of spinning the schoolโs funds.
Police and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education have launched investigations into the matter after the SDC formally reported the suspected financial misconduct.
Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Benard Mazambani confirmed the SDC had reported the case, prompting an official probe.
โWe have received a report of suspected funds embezzlement at Kumalo Primary School. We are still treating the report as allegations until our auditors have thoroughly reviewed the schoolโs financial records and confirmed the claims,โ Mazambani stated.
โWe will be dispatching our auditors to the school next week to determine the extent of the alleged misappropriation of funds. A comprehensive statement will be released after the audit.โ
The SDC, through its treasurer Vimbai Rudenya, also reported the case to the policeโs Commercial Crime Unit under case number CRB 6312/025.
โYes, it is true that I reported a case of suspected embezzlement at the school. For example, we discovered that school funds were not banked even when the accused had signed for the money in the schoolโs daily banking book,โ said Rudenya.
According to the Education Act (Chapter 25:04), the headmistress is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records, including accounts, ledgers, and other financial statements.
The Act also mandates that school heads exercise strict financial control to make sure funds are not misused.
โThere were instances where no banking records were entered in the schoolโs master banking book, yet strange deposits appeared in the schoolโs account. This clearly shows financial irregularities,โ a source at the school revealed.
When reached for comments, Magwaku acknowledged the allegations but claimed she was unaware of the specific figures involved.
โI cannot give you a comment because I am not aware of the figures. I am even shocked that you are calling me. What are you going to do with this information?โ she asked.
Maiswa declined to comment, stating, โYou are disturbing me. I am in a lesson,โ before hanging up.
Mhlanga did not respond to multiple calls.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the upcoming audit, the headmistress sent a letter to all parents and guardians requesting them to provide the school with all 2024 receipts, stating this was to update their accounts.
This is not Mhlangaโs first brush with controversy. In 2015, when she was the head of Magwegwe Government Primary School, she made headlines after anti-riot police were called in to control angry parents protesting against her policies.
Parents accused her of forcing students to buy uniforms exclusively from a specific retail outlet, and over 100 guardians demanded her dismissal, with some threatening to assault her.
She was also accused of running the school in a dictatorial manner, ignoring parental concerns. More recently, in 2023, she was at the centre of another scandal after she was accused of corruption and assaulting a fellow teacher.
The allegations led to her suspension from August 14 to November 4 last year, pending a disciplinary hearing.
During her suspension, the education ministry appointed deputy head Eneles Sibanda as the acting head. However, Mhlangaโs reinstatement on September 4, 2024 raised eyebrows as the education ministry had scheduled her disciplinary hearing for August 29, 2024 but the case did not proceed after the chairman of the disciplinary committee, Lameck Mudyiwa, failed to show up under unclear circumstances.
