SADTU3.jpg SADTU Kwazulu Natal Province, Media Statement, 28 December 2015 The Blunders of the KZN Department of Education In April 2015 we described the KZN department of education as limping from one crisis to another and completely failing to implement decisions collectively taken and particularly to honour promises it makes and commits to. During the course of the year SADTU continued to engage and marshal the department to ensure that the minimum and basic requirements from its side are indeed provided and adherence to policies maintained. We have once again ended the year 2015 with the same department demonstrating sheer disregard of expected diligence to service delivery. The department under the pitiable stewardship of Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, has at some stage caused dedicated workers to buy their own tools of trade like laptops to carry out their daily duties in order to avoid unprecedented shutdown. Early in 2011, a lot of computers bearing sensitive information for workers were sold on an auction because of failure of the department to honour agreements it signed with the service providers. It is this failure and negligence of the department that has once again resurfaced to depress workers at a very critical time of the year. PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING INCREASE FOR GRADE R PRACTITIONERS STIPENDS Grade R practitioners remained the most exploited workers in the department of education whose stipend increase remains the preserve of the HOD. The HOD's blatant failure to provide strategic leadership within this crucial section has led to nonpayment of increment agreed upon in a Special Chamber Meeting of 15 December 2015 and announced by him in the media recently on the same date. While he excitedly promised this section of workers a "White" Christmas it has turned to be a "Black" Christmas ever without even a courtesy of explaining his blatant failure to pay. The HOD went to the media and made a passionate promise to pay grade R practitioners on the eve of Christmas, 24th of December 2015, to everyone's surprise by the end of the self-elected pay day all grade R practitioners were devastated by non-payment of their increments. The socio-economic standing of this sector that is paid meagre wages tells it that they had, in their financial planning, relied heavily on these much publicized income augmentation that finally came out to zero. It must also be noted that KZN Education Department remains the worst employer when it comes to the treatment of workers in this sector considering that it is only KZN that is still paying less than R7 000. 00. It has become clear that the HOD is not in charge of his department if he boldly makes pronouncements that are disconnected with the operations of the department he ideally should be controlling and understanding. Therefore: . SADTU demands that grade R practitioners be paid within five days and that the office of the Premier must intervene to assist this ailing administration of the Department Education in KZN. ON THE FAILURE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO PAY ALL MATRIC EXAM MARKERS SADTU appreciates the work done by the department in the province in ensuring that the majority of markers are paid on time. However we are concerned by the failure of the department to pay all those workers who worked tirelessly ensuring that the marking process runs smoothly to enable results to be issued timeously in compliance with the National norms. The department has failed to explain the reasons behind this unnecessary delay in payment. This is high level of disrespect of teachers who remain the cog in the wheel of service delivery. We continue to receive calls from our members who are at limbo as we speak. Therefore: . We call on the department to honour that which is their obligation and ensure payment for all those who were markers. CREATION AND FILLING OF NON-EXISTENT POSTS We have discovered that the Department has clandestinely established and filled posts that do not exist in the organogram of the department, which was approved by the DPSA. This illegal and unlawful appointment will cost the department millions of rands despite them preaching austerity measures daily. Policy directives have been breached even the Department of Public Service and Administration is ignored in critical matters related to policy imperatives. The department of education in HRM 19 of 2015 advertised a post of the Director for legal Services and shocked all and sundry when they appointed two directors instead of one. This obviously unbudgeted for post which carries a total salary package of R819 126,00 before the salary adjustments of 2015 per annum excluding other accidental costs attached to it without following due processes of work study and job evaluation for approval by DPSA, shall further warrant creation of some Deputy Directors and other staff. The overall scheme of things shall lead to the creation of a Chief Directorate for legal services which does not exist in the entire Republic within the provinces. The expected financial implications shall go beyond R5m during the coming financial year escalating in outer years. Therefore: . SADTU calls on the MEC to institute a comprehensive investigation of the implementation of the approved organogram and auditing of all substantive vacant posts. . Meanwhile the appointment on a non-existent post be frozen pending investigation. ON SECONDMENTS Whilst the department is still struggling to absorb the seconded workers who are still not sure about their future as we speak. It must be remembered that the department has failed to attend to the plight of the teachers who were seconded to the COBALT and PPCT OVC projects as they have pleaded poverty all the time. We are noticing the rise in secondments which are now vertical creating upward mobility for certain chosen employees which creates animosity amongst workers themselves. Essentially secondments should be horizontal so that they do not create veiled promotions for a few. Therefore: . SADTU demands that the MEC investigates all secondments in the department of education. Through the neglect of these policy directives, elements of nepotism and sophisticated post fixing cannot be ruled out. South African Democratic Teachers' Union Issued by SADTU Secretariat Nomarashiya Caluza Provincial Secretary <tel:082%20611%207027> 082 611 7027 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] Bheki Shandu Deputy Provincial Secretary <tel:082%20611%207028> 082 611 7028 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. 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