SADTU says protest ‘not intended’ to disturb matric exams

SADTU members are set to protest against potential job cuts in the sector outside Parliament on Wednesday when Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tables the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement.

The government agreed to a 7.5% wage increase for teachers and other public servants for 2023/2024 but did not increase provincial budgets accordingly.

In September, the Western Cape Education Department announced that it would cut around 2,400 teaching jobs in the province due to a R3.8 billion budget shortfall. 

Other provinces are expected to face similar cuts. 

SADTU spokesperson Nomusa Cembi says the union engaged with the Department of Basic Education before deciding to go ahead with the strike.

“SADTU raised the matter with the Department of Education, those who will be taking part in the march. We do not intend to disturb the exams. We have in our membership office based people who are necessarily not teaching, so those will be partaking in the march,” Cembi explained.

“We engaged the department since the beginning of this. When the Department of Basic Education in the Western Cape issued that they were going to cut the jobs of 2,400 teachers, we were the first to respond. In fact, we issued a press statement against this.”

Cembi added that SADTU also raised the job cuts in the Education Labour Relation Council without any success. 

Cembi said this led to other unions also raising concerns and engaging with the department.

“In those engagements, the department agreed to make temporary posts permanent.

“We are engaging with the department. We do not want to look like we are out of hand and disturbing exams. We have been engaging the department since the word go.

Cembi said by marching to Parliament on Wednesday, the union expects the finance minister to focus on education, as it is one of the most important issues facing the country.

Pressure group Equal Education and other unions are also expected to join the march.