Chavron Lewis (38) of Hartbeespoort briefly appeared in the Brits magistrates court last week on charges of fraud relating to the alleged operation of unregistered educational institutions.
According to Senior Superintendent Junior Metsi, Provincial Head, Communication and Liaison Services of the South African Police Service, North West Province, it is alleged that since April 2009, Lewis operated an illegal home schooling business on a plot outside Hartbeespoort. Chavron Lewis (38) of Hartbeespoort briefly appeared in the Brits magistrates court last week on charges of fraud relating to the alleged operation of unregistered educational institutions.
According to Senior Superintendent Junior Metsi, Provincial Head, Communication and Liaison Services of the South African Police Service, North West Province, it is alleged that since April 2009, Lewis operated an illegal home schooling business on a plot outside Hartbeespoort.
“At the time when she was busted, there were already eight children that were attending classes at the plot under her supervision. Allegedly Lewis misled the children’s parents by informing them that she was going to register the children with the educational institution known as Delta Impact Education.
“The parents were allegedly paying R1000,00 tutorial fee for the home schooling and an extra R300,00 for Delta Impact. The annual joining fee was R600,00 and to register the children with Delta Impact Education cost them R755,00.
“One of the parents became suspicious and started with the investigation, it was discovered that the home schooling was not registered with the department of education and all the children were not even registered with Delta Impact Education.
“There was a room that was used as a class room and the lessons were material that was printed from the internet. The case of fraud was as a result registered with the police in Hartbeespoort and Lewis was arrested on Friday 23 October and she was released on a warning to appear before the court on Tuesday 27 October.
“The court ruled that Lewis must report three times a day at the Hartbeespoort police station, She is not allowed to make any contact with the children that she was giving lessons to as well as their parents. Furthermore she is not allowed to conduct home schooling anymore. The case was remanded until 14 January 2010 for further investigation. Lewis is allegedly also investigated for the very same kind of a case in Durban whereby she was already reporting at the Hartbeespoort police station on Mondays and Fridays. She now has to report on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” Senior Supt. Metsi said.
According to a report on www.northcoastcourier.co.za Lewis failed to register sixteen matric pupils to write their final exams. A case was opened against Lewis who has been under scrutiny for similar education-related offences on the North Coast at least three times since 2004.
It was also found that she and her mother had a similar part time tuition centre, Waterfront College in Hartbeespoort in 1999 and 2000. It was not registered with the Department of Education and was closed down. She then opened the centre called Parkview Study Centre on the North Coast before returning to Hartbeespoort.
The cases continues and according to the Hartbeespoort based parent who brought the cases to Kormorant’s attention (the family wanted to stay anonymous) Lewis has to appear before the Durban court on 11 March as well.
