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Phillip Simelane, Fundukuwela High School principal, is alleged to have said the 14 per cent was sales tax as all their suppliers had included this in their services.
The Sales Tax (Amendment Act) was passed by Parliament in November last year and the SRA implemented it soon after it had been passed.
Simelane is said to have called parents to a meeting in December last year before schools closed. During the meeting he announced that school fees would be hiked by 14 per cent with effect from this year.
Schools opened on January 24 this year.
He cited the increase in costs of services from their suppliers.
However, the parents are said to have not accepted this and as a result approached the SRA for clarification on whether the principal’s actions were legal.
The SRA then summoned Simelane to inform him that what he intended doing was illegal.
Simelane is said to have made more than one appearances before the SRA on the said matter. This was before schools opened this year and before he could implement the hike.
Confirming his being summoned to appear before the SRA Simelane pointed out that the whole issue had been misunderstood by certain parents who then called the SRA.
He denied having any intention of increasing fees by 14 per cent but had explained to the parents that fees may be increased as a result of the introduction of the sales tax.
"I think I was misunderstood by some parents. I did not say school fees would increase by 14 per cent. I only informed the parents that school fees may increase but not by 14 per cent.
"I explained that the reason for the possible hike was that suppliers had communicated that their prices might increase as the SRA had introduced 14 per cent sales tax.
"I was merely bringing it to the parents’ attention the grim reality that fees may be affected by the introduction of sales tax, without necessarily saying they would increase by 14 per cent," he explained.
Simelane said when he was summoned by the SRA he was made to explained his intended action.
"Officials from the SRA conducted calculations on our revised fees and discovered that there was no 14 per cent increment," he said.
He said in his view, some parents may have panicked and as a result misunderstood him; hence they called the SRA.
...He was wrong – PAT MUIR
MBABANE – Pat Muir, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, said the Fundukuwela High School principal, Phillip Simelane, was wrong to talk about14 per cent sales tax and the possibility of increasing fees to parents without consulting first.
Muir said the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) had a schedule of businesses which were manadated to charge 14 per cent sales tax and schools were not among them.
He said some school suppliers were not even on the list confirming that he was aware Simelane had been summoned by the SRA.
"I am aware of that issue.I know that the SRA summoned and told him to stop it. He was very wrong to talk about that without first consulting the ministry to get the right information. The SRA has a schedule of businesses that are supposed to charge 14 per cent sales tax and schools are not listed in that schedule," said Muir.
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