By Gcina Ntsaluba
A successful parents’ meeting about Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary School on 25 May, driven by the parent component of the School Governing Body (SGB), has nevertheless intensified existing tensions between the parent and teacher factions, with parents calling for urgent academic intervention and accusing some teachers of sabotaging their efforts.
Despite attempts by a faction of the SGB’s teacher component to derail the gathering, including circulating a letter questioning its legitimacy, the meeting went as planned. It drew strong attendance from concerned parents and community members. It centred on the declining academic performance of learners, with a sharp focus on the dismal Term 1 results.
At the heart of the meeting was a bold financial gesture by attorney and parent SGB member Mfundo Ntshwaxa, who pledged R10,000 through his firm, MN Ntshwaxa Attorneys Inc., to fund an academic bootcamp for Grade 12 learners. The bootcamp aims to mirror the success of a 2021 initiative where all participating matriculants achieved Bachelor passes. The current funding will only cover 23 of the school’s 80 Grade 12 learners, and parents are calling on sponsors to step forward to expand support.
“This is not about politics, it’s about our children’s futures,” said Ntshwaxa. He was joined by fellow SGB parent members Melikhaya Dyongman and Fundeka Mjacu, who all rejected the teacher faction’s claims that the meeting was unauthorised or illegitimate.
Teachers question legitimacy, parents push back
The member of the teacher component of the SGB, who declined to be named, has accused the parent-led meeting organisers of misrepresenting themselves as official SGB members and questioned how they gained access to the school’s letterhead and logo.
“This group is claiming SGB authority without consensus from the full governing body,” said the teacher SGB member. “We were not informed, and there are serious questions about procedure.”
However, Ntshwaxa and other parent members insist they are recognised SGB members and acted within their rights. “We’re not gate-crashing governance— we are the SGB,” said Dyongman. “These attempts to disqualify our involvement are nothing more than deflection from the real issue: the academic crisis at Nyaluza.”
The tension follows an earlier clash on 11 May, when a Department of Education-led meeting reportedly turned chaotic. According to formal complaints submitted by parents, learners were instructed to block SGB members and parents from attending. They also allege that the agenda included issues relating to the SGB but that the parent component was deliberately excluded. In their complaint, parents accused some staff of using learners as “human shields”, which they claimed amounted to abuse of authority.
Violence, suspensions and ongoing investigations
The fallout from the 11 May meeting has escalated into legal action. SAPS confirmed nine cases have been opened, ranging from assault and intimidation to crimen injuria. The complaints were laid by three parents, two teachers, one education official, and three members of the local anti-crime group. The investigation is ongoing and will be handed to the Senior Public Prosecutor once complete.
Meanwhile, the suspension of school principal Mzwandile Kleyi continues to fuel division. At the 25 May meeting, parents reiterated their support for Kleyi, describing his suspension as unjust and politically motivated. While charges were filed against him in April, parents point out that none relate to the water protest that preceded his suspension.
A petition with over 1,400 signatures demanding Kleyi’s reinstatement has been prepared for submission to the Department of Education. Supporters argue that his absence has stalled vital school improvement projects, including a proposed transformation of the Temba Santa Hospital into a youth-focused development hub.
Department responds, tensions remain
The Department of Education spokesperson, Vuyiseka Mboxela, said: “The Department is currently at the school having a meeting. This matter is being attended to, and now the Department is going to finalise its process. Once concluded, we will communicate with the affected individuals and the public. This concerns the matter of Nyaluza as a whole.”
“Our children’s education should not be collateral damage in adult power struggles,” said Mjacu. “We want to work with the school, not against it. But we refuse to sit by while their futures are sacrificed.”
