HEAD’S SICK HUBBY STALLS PAC PROBE

MBABANE – Her husband is sick! That is the husband of Thuli Masuku, the Head teacher of Mbabane SAGM Primary School.

As a result, she did not appear before the House of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to give clarity on alleged unauthorised expenditure of E419 000.

Masuku, also a member of one of the popular gospel groups in the country, heads a school whose committee for parents is now divided.
At the height of tension at the school and finger-pointing, one of the school committee members has reported a death threat case at the Mbabane Police Station.

She is said to have received a telephone call from an unknown person using a South African number that she was marked for death.
According to our well placed sources, the now fearful school committee member alleged at the police station that the caller accused her of causing trouble at Mbabane SAGM Primary School.

She was further warned that hitmen were looking for her. Her name is known but would not be revealed for ethical and security reasons.
Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that ‘the report was made, and it was under investigation’.
Pertaining to the school funds, Auditor General (AG) Pastor Timothy Sipho Matsebula said the school committee did not authorise the expenditure incurred by the SAGM Primary.

He called upon the administrator to account for the funds. 

Head a no-show at PAC
Prompted by the Auditor General’s report on the school, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) summoned the head teacher, chairperson of the school committee and members alongside officials of the Ministry of Education and Training to appear before it on June 26, 2019.

However, their date for appearance before the PAC understandably coincided with her husband’s sickness – so she couldn’t attend.
Dr Sibongile Mtshali, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, said they were aware that the head teacher’s husband was sick, hence she (head teacher) was not able to appear before the PAC.

She said the Deputy Speaker Phila Buthelezi-led committee was told that Masuku was unable to come for the hearing.
She said the reasons for her not-appearing before the committee was advanced to it, and the members were aware of this fact.

She was then asked why the head teacher had been away for so long, presumably 14 days. In response she said: “There’s no timeline for a sickness.”
In an interview, MP Buthelezi, the Chairman of the PAC and Deputy Speaker, said they would set another date for the Mbabane SAGM Primary School hearing.

“Records show that the head teacher did not turn up for the hearing because she reported her husband to be sick,” he said.
Vusi Dlamini, the Chairman of the SAGM Primary School Committee, confirmed that Masuku was away from school, but made it clear that the Ministry of Education and Training was aware of her absence from school.
Dlamini explained that the ministry told them they would be advised about the new date for the PAC hearing.

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