The March and March Movement Region A has announced plans to stage a peaceful march to Midrand High School on July 30, where it intends to hand over a memorandum raising concerns about the alleged employment of foreign nationals at the school and among other schools in the area.

According to the movement, the memorandum of demands calls for full compliance with South African laws governing the employment of foreign nationals and the prioritisation of suitably qualified South African teachers for available posts.

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The march, convened by Region A movement’s coordinator Thabiso Gerald Mehlape and Mpho Shitlhavane, is scheduled to assemble at the BP garage near Boulders Shopping Centre at 09:00 before proceeding to Midrand High School. The memorandum is expected to be handed over at about 11:00.

Mehlape said the movement believes employment opportunities should be administered “fairly, lawfully and transparently”, particularly at a time when many qualified South African teachers remain unemployed.

“Our concerns are informed by the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 and the Employment Services Act 4 of 2014,” said Mehlape.
“The Immigration Act regulates the admission, residence and departure of persons from the Republic and provides the legal framework governing the authority of foreign nationals to work in South Africa.

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“The Employment Services Act provides for the facilitation of the employment of foreign nationals in a manner consistent with the objects of the Act and the Immigration Act… Accordingly, we call for all appointments of foreign nationals to be properly scrutinised to ensure that the relevant legal requirements and authorisations are complied with.”

The movement is also calling for suitably qualified South African teachers to be prioritised where they meet the requirements for advertised posts, while maintaining that all employment decisions should remain lawful with education, labour and immigration legislation.

In its notice, the movement requested that the school principal, Con Purchase, and the School Governing Body invite the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to receive the memorandum alongside the school.

“We respectfully request that the headmaster and the School Governing Body extend this invitation to the Gauteng Department of Education, as the relevant employer and education authority, requesting the department to join the school in receiving the Memorandum of Demands and engaging with the concerns raised therein,” said Mehlape.

He added that although the GDE is the primary recipient, copies of the memorandum will also be addressed to the South African Council for Educators, the Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Services, and the South African Police Service.

The movement emphasised that the demonstration is intended to be peaceful and lawful. “We wish to emphasise that the planned march is intended to be peaceful, orderly and lawful. March and March Movement expects all participants to conduct themselves responsibly and respectfully and to comply with all applicable legal requirements governing public gatherings,” added Mehlape.

Midrand High deputy principal Dr Camantha Reddy confirmed the school is aware of the planned march. On the allegations raised, she said the Gauteng Department of Education is the appropriate authority to respond.
Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana confirmed the department is aware of the planned demonstration.
“We are aware of various marches targeting many schools. We will send representatives to receive the memo. We will answer the contents of the memo directly,” said Lubhelwana.

In terms of the Regulation of Gatherings Act, organisers are required to notify the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) of an intended march by submitting a Notice of Gathering at least seven days before the event.

The notification is followed by a Section 4 logistics meeting between organisers and authorities to discuss issues such as traffic management, safety measures and police deployment.

Mehlape confirmed to the Midrand Reporter that the movement received a response from the JMPD scheduling the Section 4 meeting for July 29.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said he will check and confirm with the publication whether the march was legal.

This is a developing story.

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