CET lecturers demand standard contracts
"We are doing the same job as the ones that are in permanent posts but we are not being paid the same."
Lecturers at the community education and training colleges across the country marched to the Department of Higher Education and Training to deliver a memorandum of grievances on Thursday.
The workers were demanding a permanent eight hour workday (08:00 – 17:00) contract be issued to every employee of the department.
They also want full benefits enjoyed by all government employees.
One of the lecturers, Sandile Dlamini said workers needed to be remunerated for the work of equal values.
“We are doing the same job as the ones that are in permanent posts but we are not being paid the same. Standardisation to us means that they need to employ us full time. We have only a few people on our workstations on the full-time posts.
“Some of the staff members are employed for only two hours a day, some five hours, while others work for eight hours a day.”
Dlamini warned if the department did not listen to their outcries, they will consider approaching the courts and shutting down the colleges.
“From here we are going to knock on the doors of the courts. This march is building momentum for us together with all the ones that are not here.
“I must declare that we are going to engage on disengagement. It means that we will not submit anything to the employer, we will not open gates when the employer wants to see us.
“We will not submit anything the employer wants us to submit which will include mark sheets and files. We will keep it to ourselves in our centres.”
Another marcher, Nocawe Vilakazi said their salaries were cut by 50% since June.
“We demand answers and they have been dodging us since July. This is unfair, some of us have not been paid since April and nobody is telling us what is going on.
“I have been working since 2006, but I do not know if I can say I’m permanent. I have a six-hour workday contract.
“We want to be in full-time posts. Government employees just received an increment but the people who are on fewer hours did not get it.”
Department of Higher and Training deputy director-general Thembisa Futshane received the memorandum on behalf of the department.
Futshane said the department was only made aware of the march on Wednesday, and minister Blade Nzimande was not available to engage with the employees.
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“The minister had other engagements but he sends his apologies. I acknowledge representation. We have heard your grievances and we also appreciate that you are giving them to us in writing.
“I want to assure you that the minister will respond to the memorandum.”
The minister has been given seven days to respond.
“I appeal to you to allow the minister an opportunity to apply his mind and respond in the seven days,” Futshane said.
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