SADTU undermines learners’ rights

The DA in Gauteng demands that the teachers affiliated with the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) must respect learners’ rights to a basic education.

SADTU has been disrupting learning and teaching since schools reopened in 2018. This can no longer be tolerated and must come to an end.

Both the Gauteng Department of Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi and the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura have remained silent on this serious issue while our learners are denied the right to learn. It is known that SADTU plays a massive role in the ANC’s mobilisation efforts during elections, so the ANC in Gauteng would rather sacrifice the futures of the provinces learners than take action.

Eldorado Secondary School is the worst affected. Today about 28 teachers failed to report to work.

The DA demands that the actions of the 28 teachers be viewed as having absconded from work and they should be subjected to disciplinary action.

Last week teachers were absent in many schools around Eldorado Park.

Furthermore, if the teachers are not being pulled out from schools by SADTU then they are holding SADTU meetings during school hours.

This is unacceptable as the teachers leave learners to walk the streets and they are getting paid even though they are not working.

The DA is calling on Premier Makhura to intervene as a matter of urgency and to deliver on the promises that he made when elected to office. Premier Makhura promised to intervene in all cases relating to the disruption of schools.

The DA believes that the ANC-led government has the responsibility to ensure that learners rights are protected at all times. In this case, learning and teaching must take place without further disruption, particularly in township schools.

Issued by Khume Ramulifho, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, 19 February 2018