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The South African Democratic Teachers Union in the Eastern Cape has  given the Department of Education until Tuesday the 8th of November 2016 to pay the salaries of all educators whose salaries have not been paid or face legal action.

This follows numerous unsuccessful attempts by SADTU to persuade the department to pay outstanding salaries. Should the department not comply with the demand, delivered by its lawyers to the department today, SADTU will have no option but to proceed with legal action to compel the department to do so.

SADTU condemns in the strongest terms the persistent non-compliance by the department with its contractual obligations with its employees by not paying the salaries of educators timeously or at all. A number of educators have been reduced to beggars and have to live on handouts despite continuing to render a service to the department and having fully complied with all administrative requirements for their salaries to be paid. SADTU regards this as a gross violation of the rights of educators.

SADTU calls on its members and other educators affected by this non-payment to focus on the critical task of conducting examinations the union  fights to have their salaries paid. SADTU therefore urges members to support the Union in fighting this injustice by the department of education.

We thank all the members who continue to report all forms of injustice and by allowing the leadership to explore every avenue in ensuring that teachers focus on building the nation by teaching our children.

SADTU will continue to fight for equity and justice and call upon our members to be in class on time, on task and prepared.

Issued by SADTU Eastern Cape