SADTU MEDIA STATEMENT

31 MAY 2012

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of SADTU met on 24-25 May, 2012 in Kempton Park, Gauteng and took decision on political, socio economic, education, gender, labour and organizational matters.

The National Executive Committee of SADTU has raised serious concerns about what it sees as a concerted effort to discredit President Jacob Zuma in the run-up to the ANC's Mangaung conference.

Some of these efforts include the attack on Government by businessman Ruel Khoza, the "opening" of the nomination process by the media fed with information by individuals within the progressive movement and the display by the Goodman Gallery and City Press of the painting of President Zuma with his private parts exposed.

The NEC expressed confidence in government and the ANC and said the current government was the strongest our country has ever had. Government was making solid progress in the face of challenges. We also support the collective leadership of the ANC as it was elected in Polokwane.

We are happy about the positive developments which took place this week towards resolving the matter the President's painting.

On the current wage negotiations, the NEC expressed its discomfort at the drawn-out wage negotiations before the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) and called for the speeding up of the process. The negotiations began in February this year with the Union - as part of COSATU's Joint Management Council (JMC) - tabling a 10% wage demand but later changed to 8,7% and the employer offer is 5,9%. We have also called for a R1 500 housing allowance and the employer is offering between R800 and R900 from April until October 2012 when the Government Employee Housing Scheme would be introduced.

More decisions were taken on education, socio-economic matters, gender, training, campaigns and union activities:

On Education:

• The NEC urged government to move with speed to turn around the situation in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. Both these provinces have been hauled before the courts for not providing infrastructure and textbooks. The Eastern Cape still has mud schools while Limpopo has schools under trees.
• The Union was still opposed to the current approach on writing of competency tests for matric markers as this was not a collective agreement of parties in education.

On Bargaining:

• The NEC gave mandate to sign a collective agreement on OSD for Education Therapists, Counsellors and Psychologists employed in Public Education
•  The selection and appointment of rectors and deputy rectors of FET colleges must be the responsibility of the Department of Higher Education and Training with labour being involved as observers
• SADTU to look at the feasibility and the sustainability of a long term plan for a separate professional body for FET College lecturers. In the meantime, FET lecturers may register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) until there has been agreement on their own body.
• SADTU is calling for the development of National norms and standards as well as the development of a uniform/standard post provisioning model at national level for FET lecturers.
• SADTU is calling for the payment of pay progression for all FET lectures before this leads to unnecessary anomalies in lecturers' salaries in the future.

On Gender:

• The NEC strongly condemned the increase in gender based violence in schools committed by boy learners, male and female teachers. It called on all those involved to stop the ghastly acts or face the might of the law.
• SADTU will, as part of its HIV/Aids Prevention, Palliative Care for Teachers, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programme (PPVT-OVC) introduce Medical Male Circumcisions. Howver, the process will first begin with consultations with members to look at cultural values and norms, traditional and religious practices in the country.

On campaigns:

• As part of the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) and the Nedlac Accord on basic education, the national leadership of SADTU has adopted the following schools: Zanovuyo Senior Secondary School in King Williamstown, Eastern Cape; Mahashe High School in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga; Mohoai Secondary School and Makobateng Secondary School in Limpopo; Vukasizwe Primary School in Northern Cape; Matsebong Secondary School in Lompopo; Weltevrede Primary School, Riebeeck West in the Western Cape; Chubekile High School in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape and Tlokola Secondary School in Marquad, Free State. The leadership will from time to time, visit these schools to provide support. The NEC has also encouraged leaders in lower structures to adopt schools.
• SADTU will soon embark on a forward looking campaign on the review of the current Post Provisioning Model in order to secure an agreement in 2012 for implementation in 2013.

Activities for members:

• SADTU will be hosting the National Choral Music Festival in September in Durban. This will be preceded by provincial festivals to take place in July. The provincial festivals will infuse the Mandela Day celebrations whereas the national choral music festival will celebrate Heritage Day.
• The training of our 25 000 site stewards on Labour Law is continuing in May and June.
• As part of the Union's commitment to quality education through teacher development, our Curtis Nkondo Teacher Development Institute has, since the beginning of the year, trained 20 000 teachers on CAPS (National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement) for the Foundation phase and Grade 11. The programme will continue to be rolled out to more educators.

We remain committed to championing the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign and our 2030 Vision is leading us in "Creating a Learning Nation."

Statement issued by SADTU General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, May 31 2012

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