Umlazi Circuit Manager accused of selling teaching vacancies for R2,800

In a shocking turn of events, the Umlazi Circuit Manager of the Department of Education, Jabulani. Ndlovu, has been accused of selling teaching vacancies to desperate, unemployed teachers for R2,800.

This disturbing revelation was made public following an incident involving a teacher from one of the eThekwini schools who was approached for an English teaching position at Verulam Secondary School in Durban.

In an interview with the Daily News on Tuesday, Ndlovu brazenly confirmed his knowledge of the incident, asserting that the fee was legitimate and that “there was no untoward conduct” on his part.

“I know of the incident, and we do charge that amount. The reason I am charging that amount is because of the people I work with,” he remarked before abruptly ending the conversation.

Attempts to reconnect for further clarification were met with silence, as Ndlovu did not answer subsequent calls. The alarming saga began last Monday when a teacher received a WhatsApp message purporting to be from a principal of a school in Durban North.

The message touted an “urgent vacancy” and indicated that a circuit manager would be in touch. Shortly thereafter, the victim received a call from someone claiming to be the Umlazi Circuit Manager himself.

What made the scenario particularly chilling was the caller's possession of detailed personal and professional information about the teacher.The victim recounted, “Minutes later, a man called claiming to be the very Circuit Manager himself.

What made it extra convincing was that he had her personal and professional information. Creepy, right? It’s like he skipped LinkedIn and went straight to Level 5 Stalker Mode.”

The so-called Circuit Manager proceeded to explain that the teacher could start the next day, but first needed to ‘secure’ the position by paying R2,870 for an appointment letter, assuring the teacher that the job was guaranteed post-payment a glaring red flag.

Efforts to obtain a statement from Verulam Secondary School regarding the matter were unsuccessful, leaving the situation mired in uncertainty. In light of this unfolding drama, the Department of Education has issued a warning to job seekers to be wary of scams and to refrain from paying for purported job offers.

Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlami strongly denounced the actions associated with Ndlovu, stating, “There is no way that the department would make job seekers pay for the position they are applying for.”Mahlami further emphasised the department's policy, clarifying,

“As the department, we pay you (the teacher) for working for the department; we don’t want you to pay us for working for the department. I think teachers or job seekers should take it from there.

Every post is advertised by the department, and the head office facilitates the recruitment process; schools don’t do that.”