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South Africa’s largest education and public service union, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) celebrates its 30th anniversary on 6 October 2020. It was on this day, thirty years ago in when South Africa saw the launch of the first non-racial, non-sexist and unitary educators union (SADTU).

The launch, addressed by the late ANC President and the first President of a democratic South Africa Nelson Mandela, heralded a new dawn in country’s education landscape. He described SADTU as a beacon of hope that was to put to an end Bantu education and lay a foundation for a single, democratic education system.  

SADTU’s launch was a culmination of a teacher unity process which began in Harare in 1988 where many teacher organisations from South Africa came together to work out how they could unite. Prior to the formation of SADTU, teacher organisations were divided along racial, ethnic, geographical and political lines. Approximately 18 teacher unions and associations adopted the unity principles decided on in Harare, to give birth to SADTU.

With a membership of 30 000 in 1990, SADTU has grown to represent close to 270 000 members. 

SADTU General Secretary, Mugwena says SADTU has much to celebrate but must not be complacent because South Africa is still faced with many social and economic challenges  which impede the realisation of quality education for all and improved conditions of service for workers in the education sector.

“SADTU will never lose sight of objective to fight for better remuneration and working conditions for educational workers, representing and promoting the professional aspirations of educators; playing a leading role in the struggle for education transformation to deliver free and equal quality education for all,” he said.

In the three decades of SADTU, the union’s achievements include among others:

·         Successfully fought for the recognition of teacher unions in South Africa;

·         Successfully fought for collective bargaining in the education sector which led to the establishment of the Education Labour Relations Council in 1993 before the formation of the Public Service Bargaining Council which represents all in the public service;

·         The right for and appreciation of women as equals to their male counterparts in terms of conditions of service and salaries;

·         Successfully fought for the protection of the natural right of women educators to give birth at no risk of losing their jobs; they enjoy four months paid maternity leave. Prior to this, giving birth meant the termination of employment for many female teachers;

·         Successfully fought against attempts to make education an essential service;

·         Successfully fought the medieval autocratic inspection system.

SADTU has managed to bring together trade unionism and professionalism. The two are not mutually exclusive, hence the Union’s popular slogan, “We can teach and fight at the same time”. 

This is evident in the themes the Union has adopted in all the nine congresses held since inception that stress the importance of organising education workers to fight for better working conditions whilst empowering them to deliver quality public education for all and building the nation in pursuit for socialism

The focus on socialism is a clear indication of the Union’s political vision which recognises that although the country has attained political freedom, social and economic freedom has not yet been achieved.

The Union’s commitment to empower education workers, led to the establishment of the SADTU Curtis Nkondo Professional and Development Institute (SCNPDI) as a vehicle for teacher professional development. SCNPDI specialises in growing teacher competencies and contributing to quality teaching and learning on an on-going basis. The SCNPDI has trained more than 100 000 members

Guided by the principles of People’s education and People’s power, SADTU has trained thousands of members in political and trade union education. 

The Union has played a major role in influencing educational policies with the aim of ensuring that the system produces critical thinkers. Some of the Union’s successes in this includes the scrapping of the Annual National Assessment (ANA). 

The Union has, among others, supported the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) which calls on all stakeholders to play their role in improving the quality of education. For teachers, the QLTC calls on teachers to be on time, on task, prepared and to refrain from using corporal punishment.

SADTU, has over the years, looked after the well-being of her members. To this effect, the Union launched a successful HIV and AIDS Programme in the midst of the pandemic to provide members with information enabling them to make healthy choices about their lifestyles. It has a mobile clinic that provides on-site health screening for blood pressure, cholesterol, HIV counselling and testing to members. The Union also runs wellness workshops targeting members.

The 2014 Congress resolved that SADTU should establish a savings and credit co-operative (SACCO). The SACCO was registered as a Cooperative Financial Institution in the first quarter of 2019. Members open interest bearing savings accounts with SADTU SACCO. These savings form a common source of funds for loans which are available to members only.  

With the increase of violence in schools that affects the provisioning of quality public education, in 2019, SADTU launched the “I AM A SCHOOL FAN” campaign to mobilise different stakeholders to take a stand against violence in schools. The campaign seeks to make schools save havens, to stop violence against teachers and learners and vandalism of schools. 

SADTU strongly believes that education is a public good and not a commodity. As an affiliate of Education International (EI) – a global education workers union federation, we are engaged in campaigns against the growing trend of privatisation of education. We want to see governments increasing investment in education and not the creation of space for “edu-businesses” and “edu-preneurs”.

To celebrate the day, SADTU will hold a virtual rally from 17:30 to 19H00 on 6 October which will be addressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.  Members of the media, the general membership of SADTU as well as the public are invited to follow the proceedings on the Union’s social media platforms – Twitter (@SadtuNational), Facebook (South African Democratic Teachers Union – SADTU) and YouTube (sadtumedia)

Issued by SADTU