Tension between the DA and the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu). PICTURE: I Stock
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has rejected the potential hand over of the Basic Education Ministry to the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Sadtu recently concluded its national executive committee (NEC).
The meeting had resolved to reject the DA’s wish to take over the Ministry of Basic Education.
“The NEC expressed disgust at the DA’s unreasonable demands for ministerial posts and accused it of applying double standards by demanding to appoint director-generals while speaking ill of cadre deployment,” the union said in a statement.
Sadtu , which is the biggest teacher union in the country, described the DA as having no interest in issues of redress and putting forward the interests of black South Africans within education.
“They must become the opposition and those who put the interests of our country first should continue negotiating to find a solution,” the union said in a statement.
According to the union, the DA had declared itself a “class enemy” of the union through comments made in the media.
“The NEC was reminded that the DA manifesto declared war against Sadtu by lamenting that Sadtu was too strong and must be dealt with.
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“The DA demanding Basic Education ministry has nothing to do with a commitment to the nation to ensure quality and equitable education but to destroy the organisation of teachers and their communities, Sadtu,” the union said.
“The NEC resolved to fight this racist DA with everything our union has. The NEC resolved to be the vanguard of education as a potent force to empower the masses to restore the dignity of our nation, in particular, the African people.
“The union will mobilise the masses to unmask the stereotypes that the DA employs to justify the entrenchment of colonial education system where the poor and working class must accept inferior status.”
the DA is reportedly likely to settle with six ministries and several deputy ministries.
Sadtu is part of several unions that are part of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Cosatu has been critical of the inclusion of the DA in the Government of national unity (GNU), but stated that it was not overly concerned about the party assuming significant economic Cabinet roles.
Cosatu general-secretary Solly Phetoe Phetoe said on Monday that, despite the federation’s continued opposition to the DA’s inclusion in the GNU, it was inevitable that DA members will secure positions in the executive.
Meanwhile, the ANC described its relationship with the DA as being one of governance with other parties and not a grand coalition.
The seventh administration would be the first administration to have a Minister of Basic Education from a different party other than the ANC should president Cyril Ramaphosa allocate this department to a DA minister.
The DA and other political parties had been critical of the ANC’s policies in education criticising the quality of matric exams and the ability of learners in primary to read and write for meaning.
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