SADTU in KZN calls off protest over pay, permanent employment
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in KwaZulu-Natal has called off its protest against the Department of Education in the province.
It had demanded that KZN Education meet its obligations to schools and teachers, including the payment of financial allocations to schools, the payment of pay progression and the permanent employment of Grade R teachers.
The department now says teachers will receive 78% of the funds from the National Treasury meant for the compensation of employees.
In a meeting on Monday, the department also confirmed it would start transferring outstanding funds to schools.
READ: SADTU members in KZN to engage in work-to-rule protest
"We have been taken into confidence that the process has already started, and there is quite a number of schools that will start receiving their money into their schools' account as in next week, on the 15th," says SADTU’s deputy provincial secretary Jabulani Nxumalo.
"It's just that such payments will be going in tranches, and moving forward, all schools will get some of their money before we go to the end of November."
Nxumalo says teachers should receive their pay progression in early December.
He says Grade R teacher stipends will also be finalised.
"There is going to be a run for such particular payments. The back payments will be effected as soon as possible so that by the end of the month, Grade R educators will receive their money that will be affected by the increment."
SADTU held a march in Durban last month and handed over a memorandum of demands to authorities.
Last week, it said it was intensifying its protest action over what it called an empty response from the department.
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Some high school exams in the Umlazi and Pinetown districts had to be postponed earlier this week due to the protest.
Nxumalo says teachers are expected to administer internal examinations while they continue to engage in bilateral meetings with the department.
"The commitment that was made by the HOD, together with the MEC, made us reconsider that. At the same time, we will be making follow-ups in terms of what was promised in that meeting."
