No work, but plenty of pay

A SCHOOL clerk and local councillor has pocketed more than R500000 in six years - without spending a day at work.

Yet Gentleness Mantombi Mtshali, 49, still draws a monthly salary of R7145. The matter is now being investigated by the Department of Education.

Mtshali, an Inkatha Freedom Party councillor for ward 23 in Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, confirmed this week that she last set foot in school in 2006.

"It's true that I have never worked since 2006 because of a fallout with the principal."

Mtshali joined Senzangakhona High School in Makhosini as an administration clerk in 2001. Two years later, she said, relations between her and principal Themba Sithole soured amid rumours of an affair between them - forcing her to stay at home since 2006 while the pay cheques kept coming.

She denied that the two were romantically involved.

Attempts to get hold of Sithole were unsuccessful this week. He was not at school when the Sunday Times visited and he also failed to respond to a text message sent on Friday.

The department's Mahlabathini circuit manager, Selby Nsele, said an investigation was under way.

"This matter was referred to the labour unit for investigation and to take action against whoever was in the wrong. Mtshali was instructed to report to school but she never did."

But Mtshali said work became unbearable following the rumours as well as claims that she received preferential treatment from Sithole.

Mtshali said their working relationship deteriorated and several meetings involving parents, local chiefs, headmen and senior regional education officials failed to resolve the impasse.

Despite the department's instructions to the labour unit to investigate, the Sunday Times has established that the matter was referred back to the school to sort out internally.

Mtshali was elected councillor in last year's local government elections. Her council role is only part time.