SADTU held a peaceful demonstration outside the Department of Education Pinetown District building in Crompton Street, voicing their frustrations about overcrowding in schools.
Themba Mazibuko, Regional Secretary of SADTU, Durban South region, said, “This is a campaign by the National Executive Committee sparked by the frustrations of members of SADTU in schools, who are tired of teaching in mass groups”.
SADTU said this is the beginning of their mass action, to demonstrate that they will not keep quiet.
“The issue of class sizes needs to be addressed urgently, the government has put education and health as priority, so the Minister of Education should acknowledge that,” said Mazibuko.
Mazibuko said they want the department to start taking this matter seriously because in some schools there are different grades being taught in one class.
“The department is fully aware of our actions, its a national act,” said Xoli Msomi, Regional Deputy Secretary of SADTU, Durban South region.
SADTU said they were planning to cover the whole of KZN. “We have communicated with our stakeholders, pupil leadership and parents are behind our actions,” said Msomi.
The Department of Education had not replied to attempts to get comments by the time of going to press. .
