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Natu calls on Education Department to pay Grade 1 teachers

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The National Teacher’s Union has raised concerns about the non-payment of salary adjustments for Grade R educators which was due in 2017.

Natu deputy president Allan Thompson says they want these educators to receive benefits such as medical aid, a housing allowance, pension and bonuses.

He says the educators have threatened to down tools if their demands are not met.

“They are still earning salaries that they have been earning in 2016. Which means in 2017 they did not get the salary adjustment. This matter was discussed and we were about to find each other with the department. Unfortunately, the department decided to unilaterally take a decision on how much the teachers they must receive they committed that the teachers were going to get money before the end of December 2017, but the unfortunate part is that those teachers never received a single cent from the department of education.”

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Head of the Education Department Enoch Nzama says they are working on the salary adjustments of about 6 000 Grade R educators.

“We normally pay them at the end of the year. We will make sure that before the end of this financial year they are all paid.  Although we don’t have an obligation to pay them at the end of each year because remember they are not employed by the department, but they are servicing the department. We do have a sympathy because they are doing great work, and they are doing well we have to pay accordingly. We will make sure that they are all paid before the end of the financial year.”

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