Sunday Tribune reports that opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) want the former Hopeville Primary School (Phoenix) teacher who pocketed R519,420 during her 1,522 days’ unlawful sick leave to pay back the money.  

Despite being found guilty on falsifying a doctor’s note, Theresa Naicker was redeployed to the human resources division where she also reported for duty for only two days before going on “permanent sick leave”.  The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Dr Rishigen Viranna said they were still consulting with legal advisers on whether they should press fraud charges against Naicker.  The DA also wants the two officials who recommended her medical boarding, which had been rejected by consultants to the department, to face the music.  Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, the IFP’s KZN education spokesperson, said:  “If the department found that she falsified her sick note, then it must recoup the money the teacher earned while on sick leave during that period.”  KaMadlopha-Mthethwa also wants Naicker to be axed from her new position at the education department’s human resources division.  Equal Education said it was weighing its options whether or not to press charges against the teacher.

• Read this report by Lungani Zungu in full at Sunday Tribune

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