“An Exemplary Life”: Limpopo Teacher Loses Appeal After Bizarre Misconduct Led to Dismissal

A Limpopo teacher’s controversial career at Marhorhwani-Malali Secondary School has ended definitively after he lost his appeal against a dismissal rooted in a shocking list of misconduct charges, which included assaulting pupils and the bizarre misuse of school resources to print pictures of his girlfriends.

Fhulufhelo Sikhwivhilu was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing that he repeatedly refused to attend. His recent attempt to have his firing overturned at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) failed, with an arbitrator upholding the dismissal as both procedurally and substantively fair.

A Catalogue of Unprofessional Conduct

The charges against Sikhwivhilu painted a picture of a profoundly unprofessional environment. The Limpopo education department found him guilty of:

• Assaulting two pupils.

• Threatening the school principal, Nkanyane Mathebula.

• Refusing to submit crucial learner scripts and marksheets for final exams on time.

• Displaying abusive behaviour towards the school’s management team.

• Reporting for duty with his girlfriend and dressing unprofessionally.

The most unusual charge was the misuse of school stationery to print pictures of different girlfriends, which he then pasted in his classroom. The department noted that some of these images were “inappropriate.”

A Deliberate No-Show and a Flimsy Defense

The core of Sikhwivhilu’s appeal was a claim of procedural unfairnessthat he wasn’t given a proper chance to defend himself. However, evidence presented by the department revealed a deliberate pattern of avoidance.

An assistant director testified that he personally served Sikhwivhilu with the hearing notice in March, but the teacher refused to acknowledge receipt. On the day of the hearing, the appointed chairperson, Elias Shivambu, called the school and confirmed Sikhwivhilu was present.

Despite calls from the principal and a colleague, Sikhwivhilu refused to come to the phone. Shivambu testified he even heard Sikhwivhilu in the background saying, “he would not attend the hearing and the department may do as they wish.”

In his defense, Sikhwivhilu claimed he was at a doctor on both the day the notice was served and the day of the hearing. Arbitrator Thomas Mahasha found this not credible, noting the teacher provided no testimony from his doctor and failed to report his alleged absence to the principal.

A Failure to Uphold Standards

In his ruling, Mahasha emphasized the high standards expected of educators. He pointed out that Sikhwivhilu did not even deny the charge of printing and pasting the pictures of girls in his classroom.

“As an educator, he is expected to lead an exemplary life,” Mahasha stated. “Pasting pictures of that kind defeats the whole object of developing learners into responsible citizens.”

With the evidence of his avoidance and the serious nature of the charges, the arbitrator found no grounds to overturn the dismissal. The ruling closes a chapter on a case that highlights the critical importance of professional conduct and accountability within the teaching profession.