The Gauteng Education Department says it is going to implement the no work, no pay policy to all teachers, who participated in Wednesday’s Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) shutdown protests. This is after many township schools in the Tshwane area were left empty as teachers joined the protest.
Cosatu has embarked on a countrywide shutdown protesting against job losses. The labour federation has also called on government and the private sector to work towards job creation.
Schooling resumed as normal at Gatang Secondary and Solomon Mahlangu high schools in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria. However shortly after 09:00 on Wednesday the morning, it was school out. In Atteridgeville, to the west, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary and other schools in the area, learners loitered in the streets.
At Lotus Gardens Secondary, just outside Atteridgeville, there was no schooling because teachers issued a note to learners on Tuesday, informing them about Wednesday’s teachers strike.
Learners Representative Council (LRC) at Gatang Secondary School Sonto Makhafola has pleaded with striking teachers to consider learners’ future. “Teachers let’s just think of other learners because your children are outside there being doctors, nurses, lawyers, what about us? We are also fighting for our future. Some of us are coming from bad backgrounds. So we want a bright future as well.”
Many learners share her sentiments.
“All learners have a right to education. You didn’t just wake up and become a journalist. You studied for it, right? There were teachers who gave you time. I want more in life and the school can give me that. So how can I get more in life when our teachers don’t care about us,” asked another learner.
The Gauteng Education Department says it is going to implement the no work no pay policy to all teachers who took part in Cosatu’s shutdown protests. Many schools, especially those in the townships, were severely affected. Spokesperson Steve Mabona admitted that, mostly, it has been the township schools that felt the impact of the strike.
“We can confirm that we were actually severely affected mostly in the townships and where there is majority of your Sadtu members, because where you don’t have majority Sadtu members schools continued as normal. As you would know that, it’s not only Sadtu that is a teacher union in our space. So we do have other teacher unions. So they were not on strike. So their teachers will then be at school but you would know that it’s no work no pay.”
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— The Agenda (@TheAgenda_SABC) February 13, 2019
