Olwethu Z. Mhaga Reports:
The South African Democratic Teachers' Union - SADTU in the Eastern Cape Province, had a march to the Provincial Legislature in Bhisho on the 25 May 2010.
The teacher unionists from all over the province, submitted their grievences to the Priemier Noxolo Kiviet and MEC Mahlubandile Qwase. The Memorandum to the MEC was handed over by SADTU Provincial Secritary Fezeka Loliwe.
Before Loliwe hand-over the memorandum to the MEC, the Chairperson of SADTU Fundile Gade addressed the masses. Gade in his address to fellow combrades noted the poor management system in the provincial department of education, corruption on the school nutrition programme and in scholar transport.
These projects seems to be the most troubled with a hyper level of corruption, the dark cloud is hanging over them. Gade regarded the tender irregularities provided by the DoE as ''the financial milking schemes''. Where there is a need for proper investigation.
This follows his address to the SADTU membership at TSOLO Branch on the 25 May 2010, at Tsolo Gade indicated that SADTU has a zero tolarence on corruption. He highlited excisting fraud on the scholar transport, alleged there are non-excisting routes that are only by the department of education which are being investigated. Gade also warned the teachers to very careful before they sign any document for scholar transport and school nutrition. These are the major strong holds of 'devil rulings' through corruption.
Gade also quoted acting Superintendent General Harry Nengwenkulu's remarks that addresses the department of education as rotten to the core.
Fezeka Loliwe as she handed-over the memorandum to MEC Mahlubandile Qwase, stated certain demands from SADTU to the DoE that include: Quality education system for all, abolish of the casual labours, reliesed of the school nutrition programme investigation, advertisment of posts to apoint subject advices, apointment of the permanent Superingtendent General, payment of the 37% to ECD and ABET employees, permanent apoint of the meal servers and ECD employees.
Loliwe continued by saying that SADTU refuse to work on poor working conditions, payment system should be improved. She also noted the full participation of SADTU in the interview process for the apointment of higher officials at the DoE. Another demand of SADTU is the openning of the colleges by 2011. In conclution to the demands SADTU also wants the effective payments of all the outstanding amounts.
Before his brief responce to the crowed Mahlubandile Qwase was dirupted and hauled for few minutes, as a signal of lack confidence from him by the teachers in the province and was regarded as incompetent, unfit to hold his office and needs to be relieved.
Through the interference of Fundile Gade, the MEC was given a chance to address the crowed in a brief and short speech version, where promised to consider the complaints and demands from SADTU, with his representatives in the DoE. He also apologies for the absence of the Priemier Noxolo Kiviet and stated that she was in Hospital.
The strike followed the fruitless meetings between SADTU PEC and the DoE on the 4, 5 and 6 of May 2010.
The strike was suppossed to take part on the 19 May 2010 due to legal concerns and implecations was postponed for the 03 June 2010.
It is alleged that the amount estimated to Hundred and 66 Million Rands dedacted for the 2007 strike, was used to pay increament of EDOs.
