The Department has a week left to make a decision on the matter before the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the province make true on their word to march to the Katleho Building in Bloemfontein to remove Moloi themselves. OFM News reported previously that the party’s members in the district marched to the education department headquarters – the Fidel Castro Building - on 30 April, calling for the suspension of Moloi as the Motheo District Director, pending an investigation into allegations levelled against him of mistreatment of staff, inaction on issues in his district, corruption, and sexual extortion in the workplace. The Regional Chairperson of the EFF in Mangaung, Boitumelo Radebe, was amongst those present at the march and handed in a memorandum of demands on the matter. Radebe elaborates further on the aforementioned demands.  

“All of the victims must be given an opportunity to present their case to the office of the MEC. Free counselling must be provided to Moloi’s alleged victims who were at one stage all being treated for depression. The independent panel appointed by Moloi must be disbanded to deal with issues in the district,” says Radebe.

The Free State Education spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, told OFM News previously that the memorandum of demands is receiving attention from the “authority”.

Moloi is also being criticised for the handling of reported racism and nepotism at schools in his district. He is alleged to have insulted teachers, who approached him to intervene with regards to issues. An example is made of the situation at HTS Louis Botha, where a video of a learner complaining about a teacher’s alleged use of a racist slur was distributed on social media and later garnered media attention. Radebe reveals educators in the district are not happy that the Louis Botha teacher in question is yet to be suspended. This is despite Ndaba maintaining that internal disciplinary processes have been launched.

The South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) in the Free State’s Provincial Secretary, Moloi Mokholoane tells OFM News, the department only reacts when alerted to racial tension and as a result, they are only dealing with the symptoms of racial tension at schools – specifically HTS Louis Botha Technical High School and Kruitberg Primary School - and not the systematic cause.  “The issue of racism is on the rise. It’s been there and is not starting to manifest now. What we think is happening, is that the department is not conducting a thorough investigation into issues of racism. There is no deliberate programme that seeks to sort out the problem,” says Mokholoane.

OFM News