By Johnathan Paoli
The recent appointment of Yali Joyi as the chief financial officer of the KwaZulu-Natal education department has triggered a political and public outcry.
Major teacher unions and opposition parties are demanding her suspension and a full investigation into her past conduct at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).
The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu-Natal has condemned Joyi’s appointment, calling it “reckless, negligent and potentially catastrophic for a department already plagued by financial instability.”
“It is now public knowledge that Ms Joyi resigned from CoGTA under a cloud of damning allegations, including gross financial mismanagement and embezzlement. We find it deeply concerning that someone with unresolved allegations is appointed to a post with such significant fiscal responsibility,” Sadtu KZN secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said this week.
The union noted that while it respected the legal principle that a person was innocent until proven guilty, Joyi’s resignation before facing a disciplinary hearing raised serious questions.
“She chose to resign rather than clear her name. We are demanding to see the investigation report and expect the Department of Education to confirm that she was not implicated before confirming her appointment,” Caluza said.
Until this happens, Sadtu has rejected the appointment outright and is demanding that Joyi be placed on special leave or suspended.
The union also intends to meet education MEC Sipho Hlomuka and HOD Nkosinathi Ngcobo. It also plans to approach the Public Service Commission and the Public Protector to launch independent investigations into the matter.
Joyi was suspended from CoGTA in September last year, along with two other senior officials, after being implicated in procurement-related corruption that allegedly took place in the lead up to the May 2024 general elections.
She formally resigned in January, citing the emotional and health toll the matter had taken on her and her family.
In her resignation letter, Joyi insisted that her departure was “not an admission of guilt”, but said she was stepping down “out of expediency”.
Her resignation effectively halted the internal disciplinary process, leaving questions about her culpability unanswered.
Despite the questions surrounding her exit, the KZN education department offered her the CFO position in a letter dated 7 May 2025, signed by Hlomuka.
The letter, which has since been leaked to the media, does include a clause stating that the department reserves the right to withdraw the appointment if new information comes to light or if there is a dispute regarding the post.
The education department has yet to publicly justify the appointment, despite escalating scrutiny.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa has also raised objections, with spokesperson Thirona Moodley stating: “This is the largest education department in the country. The integrity of a CFO must be beyond reproach and that is not the case here. The department must explain how it came to this decision.”
The Democratic Alliance has taken a more combative stance.
DA education spokesperson Sakhile Mngadi said the party has given Hlomuka five working days to reverse the appointment or face legal and political consequences.
“Instead of being held to account, Ms Joyi has been rewarded with another top government job in a department that’s already facing serious budgetary constraints and service delivery failures. This is cadre deployment, political shielding, and a betrayal of public trust,” Mngadi said.
The DA confirmed it would lodge formal complaints with the Premier’s Office, the Public Service Commission and the Public Protector, and is exploring legal remedies under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act.
Mngadi also pointed to the Public Finance Management Act and Public Service Act, which both emphasise ethical and merit-based appointments and disqualify individuals with unresolved allegations of financial misconduct from senior public roles.
The uproar comes at a time when the department is grappling with deep-rooted governance challenges, including infrastructure backlogs, delays in textbook delivery, unpaid service providers and a litany of qualified audit findings from the Auditor-General.
The department is facing a serious cash flow crisis, and teacher unions have repeatedly warned that failing to restore financial credibility could further destabilise the education system.
Hlomuka dismissed concerns surrounding the appointment of Joyi, insisting that she is suitably qualified and that all due processes were followed.
“The person you are talking about is a person who has performed very well, even in previous institutions. She is one of the best financial managers in the managers,” he said.
Hlomuka said the appointment was endorsed by the provincial cabinet, and that no official report from the CoGTA investigation had been received.
He assured that appropriate action would be taken should Joyi be found guilty of any wrongdoing.
INSIDE EDUCATION
