SADTU warns of KZN education department crisis

THE South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU) in KwaZulu-Natal has declared the provincial Department of Education as having "collapsed," citing a growing list of financial and administrative failures that the union claims have left schools without basic resources and staff unpaid.

- SIPHESIHLE BUTHELEZI

In a strongly worded statement, the union said it had exhausted all avenues to raise concerns, including bilateral meetings, pickets, and direct appeals to the department but “the situation continues to deteriorate.”

“The Department has failed in several critical areas,” SADTU said, listing among others: non-payment of school allocations, unpaid service providers, non-payment of Grade R practitioners, a moratorium on filling critical posts such as school clerks and teacher assistants, and the failure to pay acting allowances.

SADTU has instructed its members to withdraw from departmental meetings, workshops, and all non-teaching activities, focusing strictly on seven hours of classroom teaching.

“Members will not attend meetings or workshops organised by the department,” the statement read.