I am employed by a school where I fill the position of financial manager. I am employed by the Schools Governing Body and not the Dept of Education. Four years ago my Principal accepted the transfer of a Department member of staff who was found to be in excess at another school. It later became obvious to us that it had been a rouse to get rid of her because she has a history of causing trouble and friction wherever she works. She immediately caused trouble, reporting staff members and even the Principal to the Education Department for so-called misdemeanors. The whole school became afraid of her and my Principal did nothing to protect us from her. She applied for a Protection Order against me for apparently humiliating her, shouting at her, and pulling faces at her. After a long trial (in which she knew the magistrate) the Order was granted against me, even though it was proven by witnesses and questioning, that I had not committed any of the offences I was accused of. Still my Principal allowed this situation to continue. I live in daily fear since the granting of the Order that I may be arrested for another untrue accusation. The members of staff and the Principal have all known me for 26 years and I have never had a cross word with any of them in that time. My lawyer, who could not believe the outcome of the trial, started the Appeal process, but this too has been thwarted because apparently my court transcript is lost on some broken recorder. My trauma continues daily!

Eventually the situation became so stressful at work, with the other party continually making up accusations against me, telling the Principal she wants me punished in some way, that I was forced by these circumstances to leave my office and work from home. This is not ideal at all as I manage the school finances and the administration department. Still my Principal did nothing to change the situation.

My psychologist, who has been helping me cope in this traumatic time, even spoke to my Principal, telling him that I could no longer work in these conditions. My Principal promised to take some action and report back in one week. That never happened either!

I pay my psychologist over R1000 per session, I pay R1000 per month to one of the other admin ladies, who does certain tasks that I'm not at school to carry out personally (which my Principal is aware of); I have the expense and discomfort of taking anxiety medication to get me through each day.

This individual is useless in the workplace and none of the staff can believe that the Principal does not tell the Education Department about her lack of skills and her troublemaking, and ask them to transfer her elsewhere.

The School Governing Body and the Principal constantly promise to do something about this situation and never do.

The last time I was at the school to attend a meeting, as soon as she knew I was in the building she made up a story and told the Principal she could not take my treatment any longer, even though I hadn't actually seen or spoken to her! That day my Principal said to me that I must not come to school because it's not safe for me. He promised he would talk to the Department that day, which he still hasn't done.

My issue is not with this individual; I don't know her motivation for what she does. My issue is with the School for not protecting me from this menace. I have been going through this trauma daily for three years without respite, my job in the school environment has become intolerable!

I cannot afford to stop working now; I need my income for at least another three years, but I am forced to resign. Please advise me. Thank you.

Rose