Carletonville, Gauteng — Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has condemned the alleged conduct of five Carletonville teachers, branding their behaviour “shocking,” “disheartening,” and “irresponsible” after they were reportedly found drinking at taverns and shebeens during school hours. The five educators have been formally charged with misconduct and dereliction of duty following a joint search-and-seizure operation conducted by the Gauteng Education Department and police at schools in the area.
“We Can Do Better as a Nation”
Speaking after the operation, MEC Maile expressed deep frustration at the revelations, noting that the findings — which included weapons, drugs, and empty classrooms — were deeply troubling.
“It is very disheartening. It is very sad. It is shocking and it also makes one to be very angry because I think we can do better as a nation,” Maile said.
The MEC highlighted that 46 percent of the provincial budget is allocated to education, emphasising the contrast between the government’s investment and the alleged negligence of a small number of educators.
“It’s actually discouraged a lot of good, hardworking educators,” Maile stated, adding that the majority of teachers in the school continue to perform admirably under difficult circumstances.
Whistleblower Petition Revealed
According to Maile, fellow educators at the school had drafted a petition naming the five colleagues, alleging they were not attending school, not performing their duties, and overburdening the remaining staff. However, the petition was addressed to the school management team rather than the provincial department and had not been escalated.
“My office was not made aware. That’s why I’m saying we got to know about it because the petition is directed to the school management team, not even to the department,” Maile explained.
The MEC confirmed that the department has since processed the petition through its district director and labour relations unit. Attendance registers from the previous year were also collected and reviewed, revealing what Maile described as alarming patterns of absenteeism among the five charged teachers.
The Tip-Off: 42 Community Stakeholder Meetings
Maile revealed that the operation was triggered after an educator from the school raised concerns during one of 42 community stakeholder meetings the department has held since April.
“She indicated to me that they have a problem in the school, and I promised her that after completing other community engagements we will make time to come, and when we come we will be coming with the police,” Maile said.
Zama Zamas and Learner Intimidation
The search-and-seizure operation also exposed a disturbing intersection between illegal mining networks and school-level intimidation. Maile raised alarm at reports of young female learners openly threatening teachers, claiming their boyfriends were “zama zamas” — illegal miners operating in the region.
“Our concern was the fact that the young girls, very, very young, will have the courage and will not be ashamed to tell adults that they will be killed and that their boyfriends are zama zamas,” Maile said. “I think for me it says a lot about our country, and as a nation we have to do a serious soul-searching.”
The MEC described the moral climate as having degenerated to the point of a “state of emergency” but praised the two or three educators at the school who had been consistently asserting authority and maintaining discipline despite the hostile environment.
Schools as a “Microcosm of Society”
Addressing the broader context, Maile reiterated that schools reflect the social ills of their surrounding communities — including poverty, unemployment, crime, and moral decay.
“Whatever happens in society will find expression in schools, and schools are a reflection of what happens in our communities,” the MEC said.
Maile also flagged the introduction of significant funding into schools as a source of new problems, citing cases of mismanagement by principals, school governing body (SGB) treasurers, and SGB members who seek to “access and loot” school funds.
Due Process and Firm Action
While pledging decisive action, Maile stressed that constitutional due process would be observed for the five charged teachers.
“It’s still allegations. We’ve got the information that we have collected, but they must still go through due process. We are a country governed by the constitution, so we will respect their constitutional rights and observe all the processes,” Maile said. “But definitely we are acting. We are not going to hold back.”
Expanding Operations: High-Risk Schools Down to 75
Maile announced that the department has reduced the number of high-risk schools in Gauteng from 245 to approximately 75 and plans to continue the crackdown. The MEC intends to ask the Premier to dedicate a Wednesday — already set aside for the “Izimisela” programme — for all MECs and heads of department to conduct unannounced school visits weekly.
“They are going to be unannounced, and they will be everywhere,” Maile confirmed.
Comprehensive School Safety Strategy
Beyond enforcement, Maile outlined a short-, medium-, and long-term school safety strategy that includes:
- Psychosocial support for learners
- Alternative disciplinary measures
- Research-driven interventions to understand the scale of problems
- Standardised regulations across the province
- Occupational health and safety compliance
- Technology and artificial intelligence integration, with approximately 600 CCTV cameras already installed in schools
- Improved access control at school premises
A Call to Parents and Communities
Closing her remarks, Maile urged parents and the broader public to take shared responsibility for children’s conduct, invoking the principle that “it takes a village to raise a child.”
“If they’re not at school, all of us — irrespective of whether we are biological parents or not — must question them. We must ask them why they’re not at school,” Maile said. “Pointing fingers at this point is not going to help.”
The MEC concluded with a pledge of resolve: “We are not going to tire. We are not going to despair. We are resolved, we are committed, and we are going to do everything possible to ensure that we change the situation in our schools.”