Former Southernwood Primary School clerk Amelia van der Schyff this week pleaded guilty to embezzling over half a million rand of the school’s funds over a three-year period.
The 39-year-old Vincent Heights resident told the East London regional court on Tuesday that she was hired by the school in 2007 despite being unqualified, and that when the theft was discovered she was promoted to assist her with paying back the money.
She said in her affidavit before magistrate Deon Rossouw that she stole the funds when she found herself “in an extremely difficult financial position”. She used some of the money she stole to pay for her son’s medical bills and to fund her daily family expenses.
It is the state’s case that in 2011 a total of R192 720 disappeared under Van der Schyff’s watch.
This was followed by R237 705 in 2012 and R105 580 in 2013.
“I decided to take the cash from the school fees to pay the medical bill, with the intention to repay it when I received my salary later that month,” said Van der Schyff.
“As there was no structure in place, I was not in a position to replace the full amount upon receipt of my salary. For the months following, this became the pattern and I would regularly take money from the school fees. The money was used to pay medical bills and for day-to-day living expenses.”
Van der Schyff told the court her plea of guilty was made voluntarily and nobody influenced her.
She was responsible for receiving and banking the school’s cash.
“My duties entailed administrative duties which included the receipt of cash school fee payments, preparation of bank deposit books, preparing an accounting file on a monthly basis, which file was delivered and returned every month to the external bookkeepers.
“I had no formal training and received a crash course in three days from the previous secretary. I had no accounting background.”
Van der Schyff said the money disappeared because there were no fixed structures in place for keeping and banking money.
She told the court she was consumed by guilt, and in February 2013 confessed to the school’s then headmaster, Michael Cockott.
“Mr Cockott informed me that he will assist me by giving me a chance to repay the money.
“My salary would increase as I would be working a full day, but R4000 per month will be repaid to the school,” she said, adding she had paid back a total of R68 000.
Van der Schyff said Cockott stopped docking her salary of the money in October 2014.
She resigned in April 2015 when parents complained about the theft and missing receipt books. This led to a case being filed and her subsequent arrest.
Rossouw will sentence her next Friday. The matter was postponed so that a correctional service official could motivate for a non-custodial sentence, as requested by her attorney, Henry van Breda. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Clerk admits stealing R536k
The 39-year-old Vincent Heights resident told the East London regional court on Tuesday that she was hired by the school in 2007 despite being unqualified, and that when the theft was discovered she was promoted to assist her with paying back the money.
She said in her affidavit before magistrate Deon Rossouw that she stole the funds when she found herself “in an extremely difficult financial position”. She used some of the money she stole to pay for her son’s medical bills and to fund her daily family expenses.
It is the state’s case that in 2011 a total of R192 720 disappeared under Van der Schyff’s watch.
This was followed by R237 705 in 2012 and R105 580 in 2013.
“I decided to take the cash from the school fees to pay the medical bill, with the intention to repay it when I received my salary later that month,” said Van der Schyff.
“As there was no structure in place, I was not in a position to replace the full amount upon receipt of my salary. For the months following, this became the pattern and I would regularly take money from the school fees. The money was used to pay medical bills and for day-to-day living expenses.”
Van der Schyff told the court her plea of guilty was made voluntarily and nobody influenced her.
She was responsible for receiving and banking the school’s cash.
“My duties entailed administrative duties which included the receipt of cash school fee payments, preparation of bank deposit books, preparing an accounting file on a monthly basis, which file was delivered and returned every month to the external bookkeepers.
“I had no formal training and received a crash course in three days from the previous secretary. I had no accounting background.”
Van der Schyff said the money disappeared because there were no fixed structures in place for keeping and banking money.
She told the court she was consumed by guilt, and in February 2013 confessed to the school’s then headmaster, Michael Cockott.
“Mr Cockott informed me that he will assist me by giving me a chance to repay the money.
“My salary would increase as I would be working a full day, but R4000 per month will be repaid to the school,” she said, adding she had paid back a total of R68 000.
Van der Schyff said Cockott stopped docking her salary of the money in October 2014.
She resigned in April 2015 when parents complained about the theft and missing receipt books. This led to a case being filed and her subsequent arrest.
Rossouw will sentence her next Friday. The matter was postponed so that a correctional service official could motivate for a non-custodial sentence, as requested by her attorney, Henry van Breda. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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