Teachers plan ‘work to rule’
Teachers Union embarks on "mass action" to show their dissatisfaction with the education department.
The South Africa Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) said it would not be embarking on a teachers strike. Instead it will embark on a ‘work to rule’ mass action to show their unhappiness with the education department.
The union held a mass meeting for the KwaDukuza branch last Friday at KwaDukuza Town Hall. This coming Friday, March 7, they will hold a regional mass meeting in Tongaat.
Ethekwini North regional executive committee spokesperson, Philani Mpunzane said parents should not worry because their members were not planning to desert pupils.
“We are working under difficult conditions such as not having circuit managers in KwaDukuza and Maphumulo.
“Last year we reported the matter to the department and pleaded with them to fill the over 1000 vacant management posts around KZN before the end of the year but not a single one has been filled,” said Mpunzane.
He said principals have no one to report to because there are no circuit managers and there was also a shortage of teachers in schools.
“We will only work seven hours as per our contracts and will not be attending any weekend workshops or teaching extra classes like we normally do until our needs are met. We cannot have schools operating on skeleton staff.”
Mpunzana also alleged that the Ilembe education department does not have subject advisers for maths, maths literacy and accounting.
SADTU members have also expressed their displeasure with the basic education minister Angie
Motshekga and director general, Bobby Soobrayan.
Last year the union accused Soobrayan of misusing funds and signing agreements on the department’s behalf without having the authority to do so.
They held a nationwide protest last year demanding his and Motshekga’s resignation.
On February 18, education spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi announced that Soobrayan had been cleared of any wrong
doing.
On the same day the union staged mass action to indicate their dissatisfaction. On Friday they will also be discussing a pay progression of 1%, which most SADTU members have said they are unhappy with.
