“At the beginning of the year, our Circuit Inspector reported at the Circuit Principal's meeting that he had received several complaints from a SADTU branch (South African Democratic Teachers' Union) that most principals and school committees are unfair in their selection of educators. They are alleged to be practising favouritism, nepotism and tribalism.

Later on in the year, in June, a group of unemployed educators from local committees marched to the circuit office and presented a memorandum which, among other things, contained an item referring to on the unfair selection of educators. They carried slogans such as ‘’Away with Nguwana mobu system” (son of the soil system) ‘’Away with favouritism”; ‘’Away with nepotism” and ‘’Teachers must by appointed by Inspectors.”

These group of educators, reinforced by others from other areas, marched to the Provincial Department offices and presented another memorandum which also included a complaint about the unfair selection of teachers by principals and school committees.’ (Previous BEd Hons Student)

‘When I arrived at this school I had the problem of lesson preparation. I didn't prepare according to the school rules since the principal didn't show us how to prepare. I used the style I learned from college. The principal made a number of unkind remarks about my preparation in front of other staff. The following week I tried to shorten my preparation, but he continued to say that I was not fit to be a teacher. I was very upset. The following Tuesday I tried to copy a lesson preparation from one of his best teachers. His remarks were even more unpleasant. I went to his office with my file and that of the other teacher and asked him where the difference lay. I was devastated. What should I do? I wasted my time in training to be a teacher. Where is there help for me?' (Previous BEd Hons student).