A PLUSH R3.5-million mansion in East London is at the centre of an ongoing row between expelled teacher’s union boss Thobile Ntola and his former employer.
South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) leaders yesterday revealed at a Johannesburg press conference that one of the charges Ntola was found guilty of was misusing his position.
It is alleged the former Sadtu president blackmailed the owner of the house – a union service provider – into allowing him to use the Gonubie mansion at no cost.
Sadtu estimated the bond repayments for the mansion would be about R35000 per month.
The union’s deputy general secretary, Nkosana Dolophu, said according to evidence presented to them “Ntola blackmailed this service provider to provide him with the house, failing which its contract of doing insurance business with the union would be taken away from it”.
Ntola, who was sentenced in absentia, defended himself yesterday, saying Shifambe Malombo, the owner of Safrican Insurance Company, was “a friend” who came to his rescue by providing shelter for him and his family when his enemies wanted him dead.
“It’s true I am staying at Malombo’s Gonubie home. I only pay for rates and services, electricity and the security company that is taking care of the property.
“He is a friend who came to my rescue when I was unsafe in my own home .”
The union said it began investigating Ntola in May last year after receiving complaints about the matter.
Ntola said his wife and children moved to the East London home from Port Elizabeth after security threats.
Shootings in Port Elizabeth in 2010 had left some members of Sadtu dead and “that was a security threat to my family”.
Ntola said he had reported the matter to the union’s national executive committee but it was never taken seriously.
“It’s not the first time that Malombo offered assistance to Sadtu leaders.
“He does this to everyone. That is not sinister. As a result I am still using Malombo’s Gonubie home,” he said.
This is the same address the union delivered its written verdict to on Monday.
Sadtu also found him guilty of asking a car hire company used by the union to provide him with cars for his own use and that of his family.
Ntola said this was the same year he received security threats, and a stranger followed his son from school in Johannesburg. When the union failed to act, he felt under pressure to find alternative transport to take his children between home and school.
Ntola admitted that one of the owners of Capital cars – a company which has a contract to provide fleet vehicles for Sadtu offices across the country – offered to help. “But that was after I indicated that they must tell me when they are auctioning cars. offered me a Golf, which the driver for my kids used to take them to school,” said Ntola.
“Of course I did not declare this because as I earlier indicated the company failed to provide security when I complained about strangers following me and my children.
“Actually, there is no disclosure policy in Sadtu. Why did people expect me to declare?”
But Sadtu said Ntola had not asked for the union’s authorisation in dealings with service providers as Sadtu policy dictates.
Ntola has vowed to fight his expulsion.
The union’s general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said Ntola could appeal the decision at its national congress in October.
At least two Eastern Cape regions (Kokstad and Central (East London) indicated in the Daily Dispatch this week that they planned to try and persuade the provincial executive committee (PEC) to approach the courts for a reversal of the expulsion, failing which the matter would be discussed at the October congress. — zineg@disptch.co.za
Gonubie mansion at centre of union row
South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) leaders yesterday revealed at a Johannesburg press conference that one of the charges Ntola was found guilty of was misusing his position.
It is alleged the former Sadtu president blackmailed the owner of the house – a union service provider – into allowing him to use the Gonubie mansion at no cost.
Sadtu estimated the bond repayments for the mansion would be about R35000 per month.
The union’s deputy general secretary, Nkosana Dolophu, said according to evidence presented to them “Ntola blackmailed this service provider to provide him with the house, failing which its contract of doing insurance business with the union would be taken away from it”.
Ntola, who was sentenced in absentia, defended himself yesterday, saying Shifambe Malombo, the owner of Safrican Insurance Company, was “a friend” who came to his rescue by providing shelter for him and his family when his enemies wanted him dead.
“It’s true I am staying at Malombo’s Gonubie home. I only pay for rates and services, electricity and the security company that is taking care of the property.
“He is a friend who came to my rescue when I was unsafe in my own home .”
The union said it began investigating Ntola in May last year after receiving complaints about the matter.
Ntola said his wife and children moved to the East London home from Port Elizabeth after security threats.
Shootings in Port Elizabeth in 2010 had left some members of Sadtu dead and “that was a security threat to my family”.
Ntola said he had reported the matter to the union’s national executive committee but it was never taken seriously.
“It’s not the first time that Malombo offered assistance to Sadtu leaders.
“He does this to everyone. That is not sinister. As a result I am still using Malombo’s Gonubie home,” he said.
This is the same address the union delivered its written verdict to on Monday.
Sadtu also found him guilty of asking a car hire company used by the union to provide him with cars for his own use and that of his family.
Ntola said this was the same year he received security threats, and a stranger followed his son from school in Johannesburg. When the union failed to act, he felt under pressure to find alternative transport to take his children between home and school.
Ntola admitted that one of the owners of Capital cars – a company which has a contract to provide fleet vehicles for Sadtu offices across the country – offered to help. “But that was after I indicated that they must tell me when they are auctioning cars. offered me a Golf, which the driver for my kids used to take them to school,” said Ntola.
“Of course I did not declare this because as I earlier indicated the company failed to provide security when I complained about strangers following me and my children.
“Actually, there is no disclosure policy in Sadtu. Why did people expect me to declare?”
But Sadtu said Ntola had not asked for the union’s authorisation in dealings with service providers as Sadtu policy dictates.
Ntola has vowed to fight his expulsion.
The union’s general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said Ntola could appeal the decision at its national congress in October.
At least two Eastern Cape regions (Kokstad and Central (East London) indicated in the Daily Dispatch this week that they planned to try and persuade the provincial executive committee (PEC) to approach the courts for a reversal of the expulsion, failing which the matter would be discussed at the October congress. — zineg@disptch.co.za
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