SADTU Teachers at Work, with logo, smaller.jpg
SADTU Media Statement, 10 December 2015
Post-NEC Meeting
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the South African Democratic
Teachers' Union (SADTU) held its last meeting for the year at Kopanong Hotel
in Benoni on 8 and 9 December 2015.
The meeting took place at a crucial time in the country's calendar as we
observe the 16 Days of no-violence against women and children. The campaign
is critical towards changing stereotypes and behaviours to improve gender
relations and fight the scourge of violence. The Union commemorated the
campaign at Lusikisiki in Eastern Cape on the 28th of November 2015.
The NEC reflected on the programmes undertaken by the Union in 2015, adopted
programmes for 2016 and resolved on pertinent issues concerning education,
health, security, the upcoming local government elections and the COSATU
congress as follows:
1. COSATU Congress
The NEC met two weeks after a very successful congress of our federation
COSATU. We commit to work with all affiliates, led by COSATU's National
Office Bearers to build a militant campaigning federation focusing on
improving the lives of all the workers while campaigning against
retrenchments, focusing on the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment
and inequality.
The NEC re-affirmed the fact that the unity of our union and COSATU is
sacrosanct.
2. Annual National Assessment
The NEC received a comprehensive report for our structures that clearly
indicated that a great majority of sites did not participate in the
administering of ANA. This is against a constant misinformation campaign
that the DBE had embarked on a desperate attempt to give an impression that
the ANA was taken up by a majority of the schools. The NEC extended a word
of gratitude to all her members for overwhelmingly heeding the call not
administer ANA. Our members stood firm and refused to be intimidated by the
employer.
We are of the view that this was the last chapter on ANA as we prepare
ourselves to participate in the task team meant to remodel and introduce a
new tool to assess the state of health of our education. We will be
persuading our colleagues to consider a Tri -annual assessment system while
linking it to targeted interventions prioritizing teacher development.
3. Hands off our police
We deplore the demonization of police. We deplore the use of the police as a
punching bag by protestors. We deplore the charging of police by armed
formations. We deplore the deliberate killing of police by criminals.
4. Commemoration of International Human Rights Day
As the world commemorates International Human Rights Day, we note with
sadness how some of our basic rights like education and health are slowly
being eroded through privatization. The NEC lambasted the DA-led Western
Cape government's launch of a pilot project to privatise schools in the
province. This project entails the transfer of state funds by the Provincial
Government, which includes norms and standards and the funding for posts as
per school staff establishment of the school, to private entities to govern
and manage the schools.
The pilot project is a disguise to privatize education using public funds.
The transfer of state funds to the private provider may be a contravention
of the Public Finance Management Act. Parents were not given a full
explanation of the consequences of this privatization project. This project
may also be in conflict with the legislation governing schools.
The NEC resolved that the Union will launch a campaign to oppose this
project. The campaign will include among others, the mobilisation of
affected communities and a possible court action to challenge the Western
Cape Schools Act.
SADTU will oppose any attempts to privatise education in South Africa in
line with a resolution by Education International (EI) - a global teacher
and education workers union of which we are an affiliate. EI's resolution,
adopted during its 7thWorld Congress in July 2015urges governments to
recognize education as fundamental for social development and justice, and,
therefore, protect the public education sector from privatization and
commercialization.
It calls for concerted effort from its member organizations to advocate for
the full realization of the right to free quality public education and for
equitable employment rights for education personnel in the private and the
public sector and to advocate and mobilize against attempts to privatize and
commercialize public education.
The NEC further noted the mushrooming of profit-driven private learning
institutions such as Curro Schools across all provinces. It also deplored
the unethical investment practice by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC)
in such schools thus promoting private education at the expense of public
service workers who can't even afford to pay for their children in public
institutions.
The NEC therefore called on government to legislate against profit-driven
private institutions, particularly when they are in receipt, directly or
indirectly of government funding intended for the well-being of the nation.
The NEC further called on Government to protect and promote the principle of
access and equity for all students through the provision of Public Education
which must set the standards for high quality public education.
We are totally opposed to the privatisation of education because it has had
detrimental effects on the children of the working class.
On the right to decent and quality healthcare, the NEC called for the
National Health Insurance (NHI) to be expedited in order to ensure that
quality and an efficient quality health care. A quality health care system
should be accessible to everyone and not for the benefit of the few. We
believe the NHI will integrate the national health care system and make it
to be more efficient
The NEC resolved that the Union will engage in campaigns directed at private
hospitals that are listed at the security exchanges speculating on the lives
of our people.
We will continue to engage and transform GEMS to prioritize the health of
public servants over and above the maximization of profits.
5. Participation of SADTU members as officials for the IEC
The NEC noted that the opposition alliance is once again speaking out
against the participation of SADTU members in the IEC appointed elections
teams.
The NEC resolved that the Union should speak out strongly against this
campaign by the opposition alliance. SADTU members, just like any other
citizen, have every right to participate in IEC activities if duly appointed
to do so.
As SADTU, we encourage our members who are teachers and education workers,
in their own right as citizens, to participate in IEC activities for the
2016 local government elections if duly appointed.
We will legally challenge any discrimination of teachers based on Union
affiliation which is not a criteria for appointment to serve the country as
an IEC official.
There are teachers from other teacher unions who also officiate during
elections but only SADTU members are targeted. What makes SADTU members
different from other teachers who are also aligned to political parties who
officiate during elections?
6. Mobilisation for 2016 Local Government Elections
As an affiliate of COSATU which is a member of the Alliance, SADTU will
continue to support the ANC in the local government elections.
SADTU through COSATU will ensure that our municipalities are efficient in
providing services to our different communities. Our structures must engage
councillors on service deliverables. However, our support for the ANC must
not be viewed as a blank cheque but as a call for the implementation of the
manifesto and accountability by the ANC. We still have the responsibility
through and with the SACP to look into the reconfiguration of the alliance
such that it is insulated from political vultures that want to hijack it for
self-enrichment purposes and comes up with policies that will benefit the
poor.
The NEC further resolved that all structures of SADTU should engage in
educating learners about the history of our country as part of the
preparations towards the 2016 local government elections. This will also
assist to save our learners from confusion caused by some mis-directed
populists on our icon, our freedom fighter, the father of our nation, Tata
Mandela. Mandela does not need anyone to speak for him. His revolutionary
deeds speak for him. No one will ever distort or erase his legacy.
7. Post provisioning norms for 2016
The NEC noted that the post provisioning norms for 2016 have, in most
provinces, created fewer teaching posts.
Provinces mostly affected are KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape. As a
result, we foresee overcrowding in classrooms as there won't be enough
teachers.
The NEC therefore resolved to kick-start a vigorous campaign on
post-provisioning at the beginning of the 2016 school calendar year aimed at
ensuring that learners have enough teachers. Teachers are tired of teaching
mass meetings.
8. The posts-for-cash scandal
The NEC noted that the task team that was meant to investigate the selling
of posts in schools has now completed its work and is ready to submit it to
the Minister of Basic Education. However, even before its official release,
the report has already been leaked and it directs some allegations towards
certain members of SADTU.
The media has been propagating a misleading narrative that seeks to suggest
that SADTU as an organisation was being investigated for selling posts, this
is despite the Union publicly speaking strongly against the selling of posts
and calling for criminal charges where possible and disassociating the union
from such activities.
The Union reiterates its stance that it distances itself from the
individuals who are implicated in this scandal. The union will take decisive
steps against members who are found guilty of selling posts under its name.
SADTU will further communicate to all our structures and mobilise them to
stand against the selling of posts and expose those who do so especially
using our name.
9. Cultural Revolution through the teaching of African languages
The NEC noted the lack of commitment to implement the ANC's Mangaung
Conference resolution on the development of African languages. The NEC
reiterated its call for the strengthening of African languages and the
teaching of history as a compulsory subject in our schools in the context of
bringing about a cultural revolution.
Language and culture are a vital part of social cohesion and development. An
inclusive education system that recognizes and empowers all languages
performs better in achieving its learning outcomes.
The NEC resolved that tertiary institutions should rapidly move towards the
use African Languages as a language of learning/ instruction and Government
should lead in providing financial and other material resources towards the
development of African languages and ensure their status is enhanced in
these institutions.
The NEC took a decision that it will partner with the universities that
have shown commitment to the development of the African languages and
convene a summit to be attended by the academia and historians to craft
strategies that will ensure there is investment in the development of the
African Languages.
The NEC reiterated the Union's stance on the mooted introduction of
Mandarin. Mandarin will put additional load on the resources in school and
has a negative impact on our pride as Africans.
10. Housing allowance
The NEC expressed anger at the new and dangerous tendency by the employer of
refusing to implement collective agreements. Public servants are still
waiting to receive their housing allowances as per the resolution signed in
May 2015. This is tantamount to undermining collective bargaining and is
fertile ground for anarchy. We call on government to pay this housing
allowance to all public servants as a matter of urgency.
11. Collective bargaining
The NEC urged the national office bearers to prioritize the conditions of
work of AET and ECD practitioners. All outstanding issues including the
0,5% disparity should be finalized as a matter of urgency.
12. Pay Progression in the Eastern Cape
The NEC called on the Eastern Cape Department of Education to pay all
teachers their pay progression before the end of this year.
13. Progress on the launching of SADTU structures in the Eastern Cape
The NEC celebrated the work done toward stabilizing and uniting the Eastern
Cape. Many branches have been launched with only a few remaining. The
remaining branches will be launched up to the end of February 2016.
14. The removal of Finance Minister Nene
We have learnt with shock, the news of the removal of Finance Minister
Nhlanhla Nene. However, we respect the prerogative of the President. We hope
this is done in the interest of the country. In the 21 years of the new
democracy, Mr. Nene became the first African to lead this portfolio and
unfortunately, served the shortest term of 18 months. We hope the expertise
and wisdom, gained after serving many terms as the Deputy Minister and
Minister, will be duly recognized in his new deployment. As South Africa
continues to play a critical role in BRICS, a person of Mr. Nene's calibre
can assist towards the establishment and strengthening of the BRICS Bank.
We wish the new incumbent Mr David Van Rooyen, all the success in his new
portfolio.
15. Conclusion
The NEC declared 2016 as the year of the member. Our priority will be to
effectively service SADTU members
We wish all teachers a happy festive season. May they spend quality time
with their families. We thank them for educating the nation.
Issued by:
SADTU Secretariat
Contact:
Mugwena Maluleke, General Secretary, 082 783 29 68
Nkosana Dolopi, Deputy General Secretary, 082 709 65651
Nomusa Cembi, Media Officer, 082 719 5157
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