STATEMENT BY THE GAUTENG ANC YOUTH LEAGUE ON THE ONGOING TEACHERS STRIKE

19 August 2010

The African National Congress Youth League in Gauteng has noted with concern the decision by teachers in the province to embark on an indefinite strike. While we understand their grievances and sympathise with them, we are concerned about the negative effect of the strike on learners.

With final year exams around the corner, particularly grade 12 exams, pupils cannot afford a day away from school. The leadership of the ANC Youth league in Gauteng will therefore request an urgent meeting with Education MEC Barbara Creecy to establish how we could assist in minimizing the impact of the strike on learning.

We will further engage student representative bodies such as the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and South African Student Congress (SASCO) in the province to come up with ways of assisting affected learners. We intend mobilizing unemployed graduates to work with parents, community leaders and school governing bodies in their areas to assist learners during the strike period. MEC Creecy has indicated that her department will distribute 400 000 study guides throughout the province.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms threats of violence by a regional spokesperson of the SA Democratic Teachers Union, Ronald Nyathi who is quoted by media as saying: "Any school that stays open is declaring war on 1.3 million (public workers). We will crush you because we are many."

As the ANC Youth League in Gauteng we find these comments backward and unprogressive. Sixteen years into freedom and democracy it is disturbing that there are people, let alone leaders, who still believe in intimidating other citizens into submitting to their views and wishes.     

We call on the leadership of SADTU and COSATU to disassociate their progressive organizations with this fellow's comments. We further call on law enforcement agencies to arrest him for inciting violence.  We hope that striking teachers and unions will allow the volunteers space to assist the learners as they continue to engage with the state to find a solution to the wage dispute.

We urge all parties concerned to negotiate in good faith and find an amicable settlement to the impasse.

Statement issued by Lebogang Maile, ANCYL Gauteng provincial chairperson, August 19 2010

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