/ 22 September 2010

Sadtu leaders to be ‘held in prison for 15 days’

A warrant of arrest has been issued for leaders of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) in Gauteng for holding a meeting during school hours.

A warrant of arrest has been issued for leaders of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) in Gauteng for holding a meeting during school hours, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday.

The broadcaster said some pupils in Soweto were left stranded and some matric pupils could not write their trial exams because the teachers had attended the meeting.

The meeting went ahead despite the Gauteng department of education receiving a court interdict preventing the unionists from meeting during school hours.

Charles Philani, spokesperson for the education department, was quoted as saying: “[Sadtu leadership] were found in contempt of court for contravening the court interdict … Provincial and
central branch leadership will be arrested and held in prison for 15 days”.

The national leadership condemned the provincial leadership’s decision to hold the meeting during school hours, SABC said. – Sapa