SADTU is being used as a scapegoat for all the country’s education ills

18 May 2016

The Congress of South African Trade Unions is disturbed by the odious attacks that are directed at our affiliate , the South African Democratic Teachers Union by those, who believe the leaks from the Ministerial Task Team report. Some biased social commentators and civil society organizations have used the leaked MTT report to attack SADTU and the federation. This important investigation into the conduct of teachers ,should not be used to settle scores and score cheap political points.

We are now convinced that the previous deferments of the release of the Ministerial Task Team report, into allegations of selling of educator posts, while leaking its content ,was a well calculated move to denigrate SADTU’s public standing. This is nothing but a classic smear job.  

COSATU has noticed with alarm that it has become fashionable to use SADTU as a scapegoat for this country’s education ills. We want to caution those on a witch-hunt that it’s not an open season on our affiliate SADTU. We will not take their malice, cowardice and savage onslaught against SADTU lying down.

The courts will provide justice in the end and our enemies will not enjoy the process.SADTU has made it clear that while some individual members may be implicated it has never endorsed no encouraged their behaviour. They have given full cooperation to the Task Team and it’s not acceptable for the department to allow this smear job to be unleashed on SADTU. We await the release of the report and we hope it will accommodate all the sides of the story and will not be one-sided

The department’s pessimistic, divisive, erratic management and leadership style is very demoralising to the teachers. These unfair actions ,including the leaks will not solve what is wrong with our education system but will only result in more unnecessary disputes. Poor working class children in desperate need of education deserve better. SADTU and its members also deserve to have their side of the story heard in a fair process.

Issued by Sizwe Pamla, COSATUI National Spokesperson, 18 May 2016