Parents of Seatides School protested in June, demanding greater financial transparency and accountability. They insisted on a meeting with the school's School Governing Body (SGB) due to alleged financial irregularities, unpaid staff salary deductions, and the misuse of school funds.
The school's governing body declined to comment on the situation, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education had not responded at the time of publication. The group of concerned parents claimed that repeated requests for a meeting went unanswered, despite concerns about the school's financial standing and potential impact on students.
Seatides Combined School
The parents' main concerns relate to alleged school expenditures, a stated balance of R9 million at the beginning of 2025, as well as claims that contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions for teachers hired by the SGB were not paid for several years.
Rajen Pillay, a Seatides community activist, noted that the lack of financial transparency and accountability has become a serious issue. Pillay was involved with the Group of Concerned Parents. He stated that parents are worried about insufficient funds to continue paying SGB teachers, which could lead to staff reductions. This, in turn, would result in combining permanent teachers' classes, increasing their size, and reducing individual attention to each child, potentially causing the school to lose its status as an academic leader and lowering educational quality if these allegations prove true.
Pillay emphasized that the parents are seeking a general meeting where the SGB can explain expenses that allegedly exceeded the approved budget. He asked: "According to audited financial statements, they had R9 million in their accounts at the beginning of 2025. What was spent from this amount and how much is left?" The parents first requested a meeting in September 2025, and then again in March 2026. After these requests supposedly did not result in a meeting being scheduled, the parents held a protest in June.
Following the protest, the principal was suspended. However, Pillay reported that even after the suspension, the parents had not received satisfactory answers or confirmation of a date for the requested meeting. Parents continued to write to the school after the protest but did not receive firm promises of a meeting. Pillay also mentioned that the SGB chairperson sent a letter to the Group of Concerned Parents claiming that only two parents had raised questions about the school's finances, which Pillay felt did not reflect the broader parental concern.
In response, Pillay mentioned that one parent launched an online petition to gauge whether other parents wanted to hold a meeting. He reported that 109 parents participated in the petition, and 104 expressed a desire to hold a meeting and receive answers. A meeting was later announced but was cancelled a few days later due to adverse weather conditions.
Besides financial issues, parents raised the problem of alleged unpaid UIF and PAYE contributions for teachers hired by the SGB. Pillay stated that teachers approached the SGB after discovering that their deductions were allegedly not being paid for several years. He asked: "Teachers complained to the SGB for four months. What happened to the deductions that should have been paid into SARS?"
Pillay also questioned the purpose of some fundraising initiatives, including a run. He claimed that the school distributed a poster stating that the proceeds would go towards toilet renovations, purchasing laboratory equipment, and acquiring computer resources, but he stated that these items were already accounted for in the school's budget. Furthermore, he questioned the construction of a hall, which he said was used only a few times a year, the modernization of CCTV cameras, and the widening of the driveway, which he believed was poorly constructed and inaccessible due to a steep slope. Pillay felt that the money spent on these projects could have been directed towards sports facilities, educational resources, and additional student support.
He noted that despite the principal's suspension, the parents had not been informed of any significant developments since then. Pillay warned that further protests and public calls for accountability might follow if the issue remains unresolved. Pillay insisted that the parents wish to restore the school's reputation for academic excellence.
Parent representative Arlyn Carkross stated that parents followed proper procedures when attempting to secure an urgent meeting with the SGB and the school management team. She noted that repeated delays left parents uninformed about when their concerns would be addressed. According to her, the issue ultimately concerned the accountability and duties of those managing a public school. "It has been about a year since parents started raising questions about certain aspects of school governance and administration," she said. Carkross clarified that the parents are not seeking special treatment but want the relevant structures to address their problems through established processes. She stressed that the dispute should not be viewed as a personal conflict but as an issue affecting the entire school community. "Ultimately, it is not about people. It is about the school, our children, and the responsibility that comes with serving the school community. Therefore, we continue to call on the SGB, school leadership, and the Department of Education for substantive engagement with parents, scheduling the requested meeting, and taking necessary steps for the proper and accountable resolution of these outstanding issues," she added.
Vivi Ghani, Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association, criticized the Department of Education's performance, stating that parents waited too long for responses. Ghani reported that concerns about the school's finances were raised about a year ago, but the investigation allegedly only began a few months later. "The Department of Education let down the Seatides Combined parents. They take months to investigate, but the issue still doesn't receive due attention. Questions about misuse of funds were raised a year ago, and the investigation only started a few months ago. Nothing is happening, and there is no communication with the parents," Ghani stated. She also mentioned the principal's suspension, saying it heightened parental expectations for resolving the issues. "Parents have the right to know what is happening, and the department, as well as the district head, must help. They reacted slowly, so these parents are not getting justice. Why is the department dragging its feet?"
The SGB of Seatides Combined School declined to comment, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.