THOHOYANDOU - The Senior Superintendent of Education in the province, Prof Harry Nenngwekhulu, has issued a strong warning against the management of schools not to fall victim of fake donors who collect money from them, while promising them free classrooms.

This follows complaints from the management of different schools who paid R972 for "transportation costs". They are still waiting for the provision of the "free" classrooms they were promised by a bogus donor, "SA-M".

According to them, the man introduced himself as Mr R Groom, shortly after a national radio station broadcast an advertisement. In the advert, schools, clinics and churches were invited to apply for free classrooms, clinics, houses, offices, and site accommodation. The advert was also issued in the form of pamphlets and was distributed to the schools through the regional education office in Thohoyandou.

After the radio advert, many of the school managers responded by phoning the cellphone number, the only contact number provided. Many allegedly applied for the "prefabricated buildings," as it was stated. After the initial contact through the cellphone, many of the managers received letters in which they were told to send a postal order of R970, which will be used for transportation costs.

They were also requested to provide sand, water and ten bags of cement for the building of the classrooms. They also received a letter of confirmation that they have received the money and requested a map from the main town to each school.

The school managers then became suspicious after they were given the date of December 20, 2001 as the erection date. Many of these school managers then approached their circuit manager RN Ratshikuni and Groom then allegedly changed the date to September 24, three months before the first scheduled date. However, not even a single school has received the classrooms as they were promised. The worst thing is that "Mr Groom" is no longer available, as the cell phone is not operating anymore.

One of the victims, Ms Mukondeleli Nemukongwe, the principal of Ntsumbedzeni Primary in Ha-Makhuvha said she does not know what she will tell her School Governing Body as she promised them that six classrooms would be completed before the re-opening.

Ms Takalani Violet Guduvheni, principal of Jim Tshivhonelo Primary in Muledane said they have lost hope that they will ever get their classrooms. Guduvheni said she has hope when "Mr Groom" demanded that the money should only posted by registered postal order.

Prof Harry Nengwekhulu said he was not aware of the bogus donor. However, he had issued circulars to the schools around the province warning them not to respond to such an advert, as there had previously been many complaints of such kind before.

Mirror's attempts to get hold of "Mr Groom" were fruitless.