Principal and teachers flee school after threatening letter

A principal and his 12 teachers have fled an Eastern Cape village school leaving more than 240 pupils without anyone to teach them.

Concerned parents at Link village told the Daily Dispatch that they were shocked when their children returned home from Mziwodumo Primary School in the village around 9.30am on Monday and were later informed that this was because the principal Zolani Kala had received an anonymous letter which told him to vacate the school by 10am on Monday.

When a Dispatch team arrived at the school this morning, it found only an assistant Grade R teacher and some general workers at the school looking after the children.

A group of parents were meanwhile gathered outside the school gates which were locked.

One of the parents, Ntombethina Giyama said they were saddened by the situation as their children were missing out on important schoolwork.

"This is really painful for us as parents of those children," she said while adding that they were clueless as to who could have authored the letter.

However she revealed that the village was divided into two factions, one led by a former SGB chairperson and another siding with the current SGB executive.

When contacted for comment, Kala confirmed that he had reported at the department of education's district office in Mthatha.

Eastern Cape education provincial spokesman Mali Mtima said they were awaiting a report from their district office in Mthatha on what has transpired in Mziwodumo including whether it had been reported to the police.