Sadtu takes offence on Anglican Church’s call
We would like to warn the churches not to allow themselves to be used as pawns in politics.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has expressed anger and disgust at the Anglican Church’s resolution calling on its followers who are also Sadtu members to transform the union or resign. They further accused the union of corruption and laziness.
The 260 000 membership of Sadtu that represents 70% of teachers in this country feel deeply offended by this resolution. This matter was raised at the Sadtu Cultural Festival coinciding with World Teachers Day in Mbombela.
The festival brought together more than 1 400 delegates from all nine provinces. They sang various forms of traditional music and danced. Mpumalanga province’s MEC for education addressed delegates at a dinner. She commended teachers and Sadtu for the wonderful work they do towards the transformation of education under trying circumstances. She encouraged them to work with their communities on issues that would offer development.
As Sadtu, we raise our hats to the union that single-handedly led the struggle for the transformation of education from an divided entity along racial, ethical and gender lines to one. It still continues with the struggle. Having being in a democracy for nearly 20 years, it pains us to find different types of education – one for the poor and one for the rich – which is not of our making.
We maintain that the majority of our members are dedicated to the profession, but frustrated by the fact that they were not receiving sufficient support like resources to teach in schools and were not sufficiently equipped to teach the new curriculum.
The synod was opportunist in adopting an antagonistic posture against the union and we are not surprised because it has become fashionable to see church leaders or men of the cloak opposing unions like Cosatu.
This reactionary resolution is not different from the posture adopted by the DA to conceal their real agenda: target Cosatu affiliates in order to weaken the ANC. We reject the synod’s call with the contempt it deserves and its attempt to interfere in labour issues and the rights that we fought for. We will not allow education to be colonized by the Anglican Church.
The capitalists are exploiting our mineral resources and expatriating the profits when our people are experiencing grinding poverty and the synod is championing this daylight robbery. Our communities are experiencing violence but according to this synod everything is well because this funded violence is aimed at destabilising our country in favour of the imperialists.
Sadtu members are conscious, have political clarity and have committed themselves to transform education. They have adopted an uncompromising position to use education as a liberation tool and will not be deterred by these parasitic utterances.
The dictatorial and judgmental stance by the Anglican Church is totally unbecoming for an institution of its stature. It lacks the Christian agenda but reeks of a political one. We know South Africa is a couple of months away from the national elections and everyone wants to get back into the limelight. We won’t allow anyone to use Sadtu as a springboard.
South Africa is facing a rapid decline in its social and moral values.
Teachers are beaten up and threatened by the learners they teach. Drugs have become the new entertainment tool for both the youth and adults leading to havoc in many families. However, the Anglican Church is silent on these issues when we expect them to take a leading role in moral regeneration. We expect them to be the first to shout the loudest but they have chosen to go after our union.
Sadtu is a peaceful organisation that advocates peace at all times. We therefore appeal to other churches not to follow in the Anglican Church’s footsteps but to strive to bring about peace, communication and harmony among communities.
