Posts-For-Cash Scam
The Posts-for-Cash Scam is a deliberate attempt to mislead and tarnish SADTU
29 April 2014
The Provincial Office has been inundated with requests to respond to allegations of posts-for-cash scam apparently operated by SADTU leaders and members after the City Press newspaper article broke the headlines on the matter this past Sunday (see here).
The worrisome factor is that whereas the SABC has recordings of SADTU's statements, it continues to flight a clip from a non-SADTU leader and so-called former SADTU spokesperson they say is speaking and confirming these reports on behalf of SADTU. This we take a dim view at and characterize it as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and a well co-ordinated agenda to besmirch the name of this gigantic union and its current leaders.
In our response to these City Press claims we have confirmed that in 2010-2011 similar allegations surfaced for the first time around Bojanala District after a plethora of anonymous letters were written to the department about the prevalence of this phenomenon. The Nexus investigation was commissioned by the department and its report and findings to date not been shared with the union, albeit pursuance of the full report by SADTU.
Subsequently, a correspondence written by the Superintendent General of Basic Education to SADTU in 2013 confirmed that the Nexus report found that ‘SADTU was never involved in the post-for-cash scandal.'
The timing of these allegations and the intentions cannot be ruled out as innocent. One cannot shake the feeling that there could be a well calculated agenda seeking to defocus the union from its programs, its unity and unparalleled standing in the society. I am afraid that some people are hell-bent on tarnishing the name of our union for their selfish personal gains or to sow divisions between SADTU and its leaders. The sudden emergence of former SADTU leaders bold enough to attack the union on media with unconfirmed reports is not unheard of during this period of Provincial Conferences as it was the case towards the 2011 Provincial Conference.
This populist and uncouth behaviour of making media reports is condemned with the strongest possible terms since some of these former leaders served in the SADTU PEC and REC that demanded that the 2011 reports should be investigated, and they chose silence and oblivion then. As to why today they become expertly knowledgeable is not only opportunistic but shameful to say the least.
As the union we don't harbour nor condone these acts of criminality and everyone with information should come forward to help the union to name and shame those who are involved in such, no matter what their positions are in SADTU or in the department. We all must come forward with information to help the current leadership to analyze this tendency politically and provide insulation against these maladies and root out rouge elements for the future.
We therefore appeal to anyone (i.e. former and current SADTU members and leaders as well as affected people and community members) who possess any information, report evidence and proof to come forward and empower the union to consolidate the reports, get to the bottom of the issues and take action in order to cleanse the union from such malice. If this is left unattended, it has a potential to besmirch the noble name of SADTU, its members and leaders unfairly.
We are hoping that our members and leaders won't be distracted by these rumours as we are heading for General Elections. As SADTU we have a responsibility to mobilise our people to vote for the ANC two thirds majority win on the 7th May 2014.
An ANC victory is our victory, that is certain comrades, we are unapologetic and forthright, we will not be dissuaded nor defocused, not by this nor by anything.
We are SADTU, we are bold, we are united, we are strong, and we are corruption free!!
Statement issued by SADTU North West, April 29 2014
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