High school teachers in fistfight in front of pupils over isimbazo

FORGET about a Form Three girl who gave birth in a toilet or two Form Four pupils who were caught in lunchtime sex romp at Sobukhazi High School in Bulawayo.

This time around it's two teachers who stole the show from the pupils albeit they were teaching them a terrible lesson.

It was horrible lesson in conflict resolution when the two teachers - Lucky Nkomo and Sikhathele Muzhamba were allegedly involved in a brawl in front of pupils over the money which the latter "loaned" the former through a money lending business traditionally known as isimbazo/chimbadzo.

The punch-up incident which apparently exposed the school to a string of other controversies happened on Tuesday afternoon.

According to reports the melodramatic incident which saw pupils and some teachers abandoning classes started after Nkomo, a metal work teacher was upset that Muzhamba, the Head of the History Department at the school had reportedly teased him in front of pupils over a soft loan of $130 which he had allegedly failed to pay back on time.


In a fit of anger Nkomo is alleged to have started pushing and shoving Muzhamba before he physically fought her.

"It is not clear who started the brawl but Muzhamba claimed that Nkomo started hitting her after she asked him to pay back $130 which she loaned him through isimbazo.

The incident took place at the school gate and in full view of pupils who started cheering and whistling when Nkomo started slapping Muzhamba several times on the face.

"The scuffle reflected Nkomo's culture of violence at school after he once assaulted another metal teacher for no apparent reason. "It is hard for teachers to expect children to follow the rules if they cannot do it themselves. They need to lead by example.

There is no doubt that this latest ugly incident will put the name of the school into disrepute which is still trying to recover from a string of other damages which it suffered when one of the pupils gave birth in a toilet and when two Form Four pupils were caught having sex in a classroom during lunch hour," said a source from the school who requested strict anonymity for fear of reprisals.

It is further reported that the daring Nkomo was later restrained from humiliating Muzhamba by another teacher only identified as Makusha. A pupil who also witnessed the fracas and requested anonymity said: "I had never seen or heard anything like this that teachers fight in front of pupils. I do not think teachers should conduct themselves like that in front of pupils."

After the bust-up both teachers were escorted off the school to Barbourfields Police Post where Nkomo was reportedly detained over night.

Sources from the police post however, said Nkomo who was supposed to appear in court facing assault charges was later released after he paid an admission of guilty fine.