Schools left in the lurch as teachers go picketing
Operations in most schools within the Barberton area were disrupted as members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) picketed in protest against the Mpumalanga government cutting jobs.
Lucky Kgomoesoana, Sadtu Barberton branch chairman, said the protests started in June throughout the province.
He said the issue under contention was the ruling by Mpumalanga premier, David Mabuza, to impose a moratorium on new appointments in all departments in the province. This does not allow departments to fill any vacant posts.
Kgomoesoana said this action has dire consequences for teaching and learning, not only in Barberton, but the whole province.
“The Department of Education has many vacant posts in the Barberton circuit that can’t be filled because of the moratorium. In practice, it means all vacancies that arise out of retirement, resignation or deaths can not be filled.
“This results in remaining teachers in that particular school being overloaded, as they will be forced to assume the duties of that individual,” said Kgomoesoana.
Jasper Zwane, spokesman for education, said they were disappointed by the teachers’ actions.
“We held talks with the union, Sadtu, where we discussed this matter. They committed to the department that during their pickets, teaching and learning will not be disrupted as they will only protest during breaks and after school. But what we have found is that teaching and learning are being affected by the pickets and we wrote letters to the union requesting them to desist from doing so,” said Zwane.
