Gauteng provincial minister of education Angie Motshekga is to apply for a court interdict prohibiting members of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) from striking, her department said on Friday.
If the application is refused, the planned strike will affect examinations in the Soweto area, said spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi.
He could not say when the matter would be heard in the Johannesburg High Court.
”We have already briefed our lawyers, who have in turn consulted with the court … they are waiting for a date.”
”For the sake of our children, we cannot allow this behaviour of Sadtu to go unchallenged and we urge communities and other educational structures to rise against this threat.”
He said Sadtu was threatening to strike following the department’s refusal to dismiss a district manager who clamped down on Sadtu members involved in the ”ghost teachers” scandal.
”They claim the district manager is making life difficult for Sadtu members after he suspended those responsible for ghost teachers.”
Sadtu’s secretary for the Gauteng central region, Graham Mansingh, denied that the union was trying to sabotage examinations, saying the provincial was the one refusing to listen to their demands.
”She is being evasive … we can’t track her down to have a meeting and if she keeps running away she will force our backs against the wall.”
He said the union has been trying to meet Motshekga since June.
”Our last resort will be to withdraw our labour and embark on a strike, and we don’t want that.”
Mansingh said the union was not against the district manager, saying a chief director in the provincial government, Thami Mali, was the one they were against.
”The chief director is the one we want dismissed in regard to corruption and dictatorial management style … he is undermining the Constitution by humiliating people in public.”
Motshekga is expected to brief the public about the issue at the Old Soweto College in Pimville from 9am on Sunday. — Sapa