OFM News previously reported that staff at the Ad Laudem Independent School near the Universitas Academic Hospital, are struggling to make ends meet because they are paid in instalments.

ALSO READ: Bleak Christmas awaits staff of Bloemfontein private school

According to teachers at the school, who asked to remain anonymous, the school is yet to finish off paying salaries for the month of November 2022.

One of the staff has detailed the experience at the school and labelled it as terrible conditions to work under.

"I have been a teacher at that school for five years. I have worked under terrible conditions. The only way to sum up the environment is one that is abusive and toxic. We never know from one day to the next if we are going to be fired. This year has been particularly bad as we were told that the school was in a financial crisis and the management team was working on it."

Previously, the staff told OFM News that the management of the controversial school has failed to communicate with them about issues that continue to besiege the school.

"We were told it would last three months. Our support staff were placed on 50% work time and salaries. They were also told that it would also be for a few months. They are still on 50%. Every month we are given excuse after excuse. The excuses include: someone stole the money; the account was hacked; then it was Sars. The next excuse was that the parents did not pay school fees. Not once have we ever been told the truth or even thanked for our hard work during difficult times. If we don't have petrol to come to work we are told it's not their problem. Every teacher has always put the kids first. They are dedicated teachers," the staff member added.

Meanwhile, the school's head of finance, Johan Roets, told OFM that they are still paying for the month of November. He said, on Thursday 22 December, they made payments to staff.

"I made another payment today to teachers for the November payment. November's payments are not done yet to be honest, because we do not have sufficient funds to do that. Everybody in that regard is [in the same situation] where everybody receives what is available. I am waiting for payments to come in within a couple of days and that will be distributed to the teachers," Roets added.

Despite the promise by Roets, the staff at the school are not that optimistic about the current development.

The anonymous staff members continue to tell OFM News that many have been evicted, have lost their cars.

They have explained how some amongst them lost their children's place in schools for next year because they can't pay deposits, school clothes or buy stationery.

They say they were promised the November salaries would have been paid by the 15th of December but have thus far only received 50%.

"We have families and Christmas is in a few days. They simply don't care about the staff.

"The amounts we are paid is ridiculous. We have to decide whether to buy food, electricity or petrol/transport money - not enough to do all of it.  When the media got hold of the story the staff were called in and blamed, we are constantly victimised. Many of the staff members are too scared to come forward because if management finds out who you are, you are targeted and fired. Mr Roets at one time has said that the only way to keep the staff scared and not to question decisions is by keeping them all on final written warnings. We have never seen his qualifications. His son has no qualifications and makes mistake after mistake. He is never disciplined. His salary is more than a teacher's. I am hoping that another article can be written to expose the school's management for their abuse of power. 

"It's Christmas and we have nothing. We are just told lies, screamed at, and victimised".

Roets has further denied that his son, who is also the Human Resources Manager (HR) at the school, does not have qualifications. He says his son must not be seen as such but as a qualified professional fit for the job he was appointed for.

OFM News