One of East London’s top schools, Cambridge High, had been in such a tight financial squeeze that it struggled to pay staff salaries and creditors on time after their two bursars stole millions from school coffers.
The school’s former headmaster, Grassy Buitendag, revealed this to the East London Regional Court on Friday.
He was testifying in aggravation of sentence proceedings against former assistant bursar Merle Laity, 56, who was convicted of eight counts of theft and fraud in May.
Laity will be sentenced on Thursday.
“I am aware there were staff members who at times felt concerned they might not receive their salaries at month end. In fact, there were times when I was forced to ask one or two staff members if we could pay them a few days later, “ he told court.
The theft by jailed disgraced bursar Maria “Gerda” de Wet, who stole almost R3m, and her assistant Laity, who stole R2.3m, took place over a period of five years.
It was exposed in 2009 with De Wet, who was arrested first, pleading guilty to theft and fraud last year.
She is now serving an eight-year prison term. Buitendag, who has since left the school, said at some point the school found itself “in such a dire situation that it was forced to investigate the possibility of making short-term bridging loans”.
“One of these was from our primary school, much to my embarrassment, and I also recall a loan arrangement with the past pupil’s association,” he told court.
Among the charges the disgraced Laity was found guilty of was:Stealing R132,000 received from school’s PTA fundraising efforts; Stealing R312,195 paid by pupils for blazers, badges, school camps and other items; Theft of R178,000 received for pupils’ photographs; and Theft of R5,000 received for a matric dance and theft of R3,360, among others.
“Another effect on the school was that certain suppliers began to refuse to supply the school if outstanding debts were not paid up,” the former principal said. “I also began to receive irate phone calls from certain creditors complaining of not being paid.” Laity is a former pupil at the school.Buitendag pleaded with the court to send Laity to jail “for a lengthy period”, as had been done with De Wet.
School siphoned of millions
Image: Siya Boya
One of East London’s top schools, Cambridge High, had been in such a tight financial squeeze that it struggled to pay staff salaries and creditors on time after their two bursars stole millions from school coffers.
The school’s former headmaster, Grassy Buitendag, revealed this to the East London Regional Court on Friday.
He was testifying in aggravation of sentence proceedings against former assistant bursar Merle Laity, 56, who was convicted of eight counts of theft and fraud in May.
Laity will be sentenced on Thursday.
“I am aware there were staff members who at times felt concerned they might not receive their salaries at month end. In fact, there were times when I was forced to ask one or two staff members if we could pay them a few days later, “ he told court.
The theft by jailed disgraced bursar Maria “Gerda” de Wet, who stole almost R3m, and her assistant Laity, who stole R2.3m, took place over a period of five years.
It was exposed in 2009 with De Wet, who was arrested first, pleading guilty to theft and fraud last year.
She is now serving an eight-year prison term. Buitendag, who has since left the school, said at some point the school found itself “in such a dire situation that it was forced to investigate the possibility of making short-term bridging loans”.
“One of these was from our primary school, much to my embarrassment, and I also recall a loan arrangement with the past pupil’s association,” he told court.
Among the charges the disgraced Laity was found guilty of was:Stealing R132,000 received from school’s PTA fundraising efforts; Stealing R312,195 paid by pupils for blazers, badges, school camps and other items; Theft of R178,000 received for pupils’ photographs; and Theft of R5,000 received for a matric dance and theft of R3,360, among others.
“Another effect on the school was that certain suppliers began to refuse to supply the school if outstanding debts were not paid up,” the former principal said. “I also began to receive irate phone calls from certain creditors complaining of not being paid.” Laity is a former pupil at the school.Buitendag pleaded with the court to send Laity to jail “for a lengthy period”, as had been done with De Wet.
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