Limpopo teacher Dikeledi Sodi has finally been appointed as deputy principal — almost four years after she was chosen as the preferred candidate for the post by a school governing body.
In a letter dated August 23, Onica Dederen, the head of department for the Limpopo education department, congratulated Sodi on her appointment as deputy principal of Motlolatsoku Primary School in Trichardtsdal.
But the 49-year-old teacher had to fight tooth and nail for her promotion, despite being chosen as the top candidate in December 2017.
Sodi, as well as Motlolatsoku Primary School, its governing body and the National Association of School Governing Bodies’ (NASGB) provincial office in Limpopo, took the provincial education department to court in October 2020, asking for an order that she be declared the successful candidate.
In an affidavit filed by governing body chairperson Mabu Mahulwane in October 2020 in support of the court application, it was revealed that Sodi was the “top scorer in the interviews” and that “there were no complaints or interruptions”.
The post was advertised on August 22 2017, and interviews conducted on December 7.
According to the court papers, after the interview documents were handed over to the circuit manager on December 12, “eyebrows were raised” when departmental officials arrived at the school and removed the 46 applications for the post, which were “school property”.
The surprise is that the circuit or district office does not want the successful applicant and that they wanted their own choice or preferred candidate.
— Motlolatsoku Primary School governing body chair Mabu Mahulwane
The governing body was informed in January 2018 that the post had been cancelled. Then, a month later, it was told this was because of “bad shortlisting and interviews”.
In March 2018 five departmental officials visited the school and informed the governing body that the post had been nullified, but gave no reasons for that decision.
Mahulwane said they were asked to write a letter agreeing that the shortlisting and interviews for the post would resume and “whether we wrote or not after 30 days they would instruct for resumption”.
Frustrated, the governing body sought help from the NASGB in November 2018.
In February 2019 a senior official told the governing body that “nothing untoward” was found concerning its 2017 shortlisting and interview process, and that the decision to nullify the post in August 2018 because the school governing body had not followed the criteria for shortlisting candidates would be set aside.
Mahulwane said in court documents that “the surprise is that the circuit or district office does not want the successful applicant and that they wanted their own choice or preferred candidate”.
Despite the decision to retract the nullification of the post in early 2019, the governing body was dismayed to find the district director had taken a decision in July 2019 to re-advertise the post.
The department, through the Mopani West district and the circuit office, wanted to sideline Mrs Sodi. It is high time the department respected the recommendations of governing bodies for appointment and promotion of educators.
— NASGB provincial chairperson in Limpopo Shumani Thomoli
After unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue, the governing body then sought the court’s intervention in the matter in October 2020.
In an out-of-court settlement reached between the NASGB and the acting head of department, Martin Mashaba, on April 16 2021, it was agreed the department would issue Sodi an appointment letter and that she would officially occupy her new post from May 1.
But according to Dederen’s letter, she would be permanently appointed from June 24 “on 12 months’ probation”.
Dederen wrote: “The department wishes to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new sphere of employment and trust that you will carry out your responsibilities as required.”
The NASGB provincial chairperson in Limpopo, Shumani Thomoli, said Sodi’s appointment was the result of the fight put up by his association, as well as the school’s governing body and their legal team.
“The department, through the Mopani West district and the circuit office, wanted to sideline Mrs Sodi. It is high time the department respected the recommendations of governing bodies for appointment and promotion of educators.”
He said Sodi was “very excited” after she was informed of her appointment, adding: “Up until then, she was very disappointed and disillusioned. She had given up all hope of being promoted.”
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