Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
BULAWAYO — Kumalo Primary School is embroiled in turmoil as furious parents rally for the removal of headmistress Stella Mhlanga, who faces fraud charges linked to the alleged embezzlement of school funds.
Mhlanga, accused of financial misconduct alongside four staff members, is set to appear in court on May 28, but parents and officials argue her leadership has already irreparably damaged the institution.
“She Must Go Now”: Parents Escalate Calls for Accountability
At a heated School Development Committee (SDC) meeting this week, parents voiced outrage over Mhlanga’s alleged mismanagement, which has triggered a collapse in fee payments and threats of student withdrawals.
“How can we trust someone accused of looting our children’s future?” demanded one parent.
“This circus ends now — she must go!”
The scandal has reignited scrutiny of Mhlanga’s controversial career. In 2015, she was dismissed from Magwegwe Primary School following parental protests, and later made headlines for accidentally sharing a pornographic image on a school WhatsApp group.
Though cleared of misconduct in the latter incident, her reputation remains tarnished.
Ministry Admits “Reputational Damage,” Suspension Reversed
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has launched disciplinary proceedings, but confusion reigns after Mhlanga’s initial suspension was mysteriously overturned by higher-ranking officials. Provincial Education Director Bernard Mazambani acknowledged the crisis, stating,
“This matter is damaging the province’s reputation. We recommended suspension, but someone above us decided otherwise.”
Auditors from Matabeleland North are now probing the missing funds, while the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recently cited the case as emblematic of corruption eroding education standards during a national workshop in Karoi.
“Face the Music”: Leadership in Freefall
Mhlanga’s authority continues to unravel.
Last week, she was reportedly expelled from a school heads’ meeting at Bulawayo Adventist High School and told to return to Kumalo to “face the music.”
Parents, meanwhile, are mobilizing a petition to pressure the Ministry to act.
“She’s already destroyed two schools,” said a parent, referencing her Magwegwe tenure.
“We won’t let her wreck a third.”
With the school year at risk of descending into “chaos,” as one parent warned, the community awaits decisive action from authorities.
For now, the embattled headmistress remains in post, even as trust in her leadership evaporates.
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