Loyiso Mbinda, chief executive of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) Eastern Cape, this week expressed deep concern regarding the allegations of possible interference in examination processes and financial irregularities.
Mbinda stated that these “deeply troubling” matters “strike at the core of trust, fairness, and integrity in the education system”.
He called on authorities to ensure the integrity of examinations and to conduct transparent, independent investigations.
Mbinda warned that failure to act “risks undermining public confidence, damaging institutional credibility, and eroding morale within the profession”.
The call for urgent scrutiny follows a new investigation by the Public Service Commission (PSC) into Eastern Cape Department of Education leadership over serious allegations against head of department, Sharon Maasdorp.
The PSC confirmed that Maasdorp is expected to appear before an inquiry panel in April to answer six allegations, including claims she attempted to influence a relative’s exam result, and that she was involved in financial misconduct, such as alleged misuse of conditional grant funds, following a referral by Premier Oscar Mabuyane.
The DA has seized on the controversy to highlight what it calls “a deeper school corruption crisis” in the province.
In a March DA statement, the party highlighted multiple cases of alleged financial mismanagement and misconduct in schools, including expenditures on unnecessary items like restaurant bills and unaccounted cash withdrawals, arguing that such abuses “deny children dignity, proper meals, and safe learning environments”.
The party pointed to more than “22 educators on precautionary suspension for alleged financial misconduct or corruption, costing the department millions in diverted salary payments”, and called for forensic investigations, criminal referrals where warranted, and stronger oversight mechanisms.
In November 2025, DA education spokesperson Horatio Hendricks also criticised Education MEC Fundile Gade for failing to act on documented evidence of mismanagement at several schools, describing the lack of response as untenable and urging national intervention to restore accountability.
The misconduct allegations and political pushback come amid ongoing concerns over leadership instability and financial irregularities within the Eastern Cape education system.
Data from Provincial Treasury reports indicate repeated material irregularities, including payments made without proper service delivery and under‑utilised software licences that amounted to millions in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Separately, the Eastern Cape Education MEC has publicly acknowledged that suspensions of teachers and principals for alleged sexual and financial misconduct have impacted the schooling environment and matric results in recent years.
Lilita Gcwabe
iol.co.za
