Principal loses appeal after dismissal for failing to show how she used over R420,000 for the school

Dismissal of Johannesburg principal upheld after failure to account for R420,000.

A Johannesburg school principal has officially lost her bid to overturn her dismissal after the arbitration tribunal found her guilty of massive financial misconduct, including sweeping unapproved cash withdrawals and an egregious breach of petty cash limits.

The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) ruled on June 26, 2026, that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) acted fairly when it fired Selinah Moloi, the former principal of Montshiwa Primary School in the Johannesburg Central District.

Arbitrator Gcina Mafani flatly dismissed Moloi’s claims of ignorance, stating that her senior position required strict financial accountability that she completely failed to maintain.

The trouble for Moloi began following a whistleblower report to the GDE, which prompted a forensic investigation by Nepagetse Chartered Accountants.