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The Democratic Alliance (DA) will today lodge a complaint against the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in the Eastern Cape with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) for violating the constitutional rights of thousands of learners in that province.

SADTU’s illegal strike is now entering its fourth week. During this time, learners in the poorest of schools have effectively been denied their right to a basic education.

Minister Angie Motshekga has publicly expressed support for the removal of the provincial Education Department’s Superintendent General, Modidima Mannya – a key SADTU demand.

What Minister Motshekga has failed to do is condemn the actions of irresponsible SADTU bosses and move to end the illegal strike.

If the Minister won’t stand up for the rights of learners, we trust that the HRC will.

By the end of this week, learners will effectively be halfway through the first term in the schools calendar having received little to no teaching at all.

According to the Labour Relations Act, a “go-slow” is no different from a strike because it entails a “retardation” of labour.

No notice of a strike has been submitted by the union. This means that SADTU have been engaged in an illegal strike for almost a month.

SADTU are signatories to the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign. They are bound by this document and by the law to ensure that teachers act professionally and in line with the rights of learners.

If SADTU have a dispute with the provincial Education Department, then they should address the problem through other means – such as arbitration or the courts. Learners are always the biggest losers in an illegal strike.

The DA will always put the children of our country first when it comes to the vital constitutional right to a basic education.