Education Department Ordered to Pay Principal Over R722,000 for Unpaid Acting Role

A school principal in the Free State has secured a significant financial victory after being underpaid for nearly three years while serving in an acting capacity.

Molangoana Zacharia Pholosi, who served as acting principal at Ipekiseng Secondary School from June 2021 to March 2024, was paid for only three months of that period. Despite performing full duties expected of a principal, the Department of Education failed to adequately compensate him.

While a settlement agreement was drafted during the process, it was signed only by Pholosi. The lack of departmental follow-through led to a standoff, prompting him to take the matter to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).

In the arbitration proceedings, the department acknowledged its liability but blamed the delay on administrative issues — stating that paperwork had been sent to the Head of Department, only to be returned to the district office.

Arbitrator Monde Boyce found the department’s explanations lacking and described the delay as both unreasonable and unfair.

“The department failed to provide a coherent explanation for the delay, and even if such challenges existed, it remains unreasonable that it took more than three years to process payment,” said Boyce.

He noted that the issue could have been resolved internally without resorting to arbitration and declared that the department’s failure to pay Pholosi constituted unfair labour practice.

The department has been ordered to pay Pholosi R722,492.28 before 30 May 2025.

This case adds to ongoing concerns about accountability and efficiency within public service departments, especially in the education sector.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com