DESPERATE temporary teachers who have not been paid since the beginning of the year are taking the Basic Education Department to court to force it to pay them with interest.
Despite an unequivocal public assurance to the Daily Dispatch from the department that all temporary teachers would be paid in full by the latest on Wednesday last week, many have not yet received a cent.
A bout 25 Grahamstown teachers now face financial ruin, and they have resorted to court with the help of the Legal Resources Centre.
It is the second time they have had to do so. The same teachers, as well as about 120 others, resorted to court to force the department to appoint them in the first place.
The department failed to do so despite being ordered by the court in 2012 to fill all vacant posts by the beginning of 2013. In each of the three court cases the department consented to the court order and then only partially complied with it.
The teachers say the failure to pay their salaries has taken a high toll on them and their families. Some face eviction and repossession of furniture. Others suffer stress and failing health. Life insurance and other policies have lapsed and some have been forced to take loans at high interest rates, according to papers before court.
The teachers – from six different schools in Grahamstown, all with letters of appointment dated January this year – are each owed between R36000 and R90000 .
The 25 temporary teachers alone are owed a total of R1.7-million in salary arrears, according to court papers. The teachers also want interest on their salary arrears at a rate of 15%.
One teacher, Carol Edwards, says in the affidavit that they all assumed duty in line with letters of appointment and taught daily .
She is the sole breadwinner in her family and now cannot even buy school shoes for her child. She is in arrears with her rent and faces eviction as well as having her furniture re- possessed.
She says the 50% interest on a cash loan she had to take is unsustainable.
“I have had to sell my refrigerator, washing machine, microwave and stove to generate funds for food and basic necessities. I have been ruined financially and crippled emotionally.”
Another teacher, Chumisa Nguza, defaulted on her mortgage and her insurance policies lapsed as she could not pay the premiums.
Other teachers, such as Patiswa Kunzana from Centani, said she last received a salary in December 2011.
Kunzana said the School Governing Body had tried to raise funds for her salary but the money had dried up in September 2012.
“I think it would be better if the department would stop making empty promises because it just hurts more when that promised date comes and there is still no money ,” she said.
Mfundisi Manisile from Butterworth, said he survived on donations of less than R500 a month.
Grahamstown LRC director Sarah Sephton said the urgent application would be heard in the Grahamstown High Court on May 24.
The LRC wants an order directing the department to pay up within five days or face having their assets seized in line with the State Liability Act. It has also asked that the department pay legal costs on a punitive scale.
Education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani yesterday said the failure to pay the teachers last week as promised was being investigated by departmental head Mthunywa Ngonzo.
“We are assured that the list of outstanding payments is with Treasury. Th ey should get their money by the latest Monday.”
Desperate bankrupt teachers still go unpaid
Despite an unequivocal public assurance to the Daily Dispatch from the department that all temporary teachers would be paid in full by the latest on Wednesday last week, many have not yet received a cent.
A bout 25 Grahamstown teachers now face financial ruin, and they have resorted to court with the help of the Legal Resources Centre.
It is the second time they have had to do so. The same teachers, as well as about 120 others, resorted to court to force the department to appoint them in the first place.
The department failed to do so despite being ordered by the court in 2012 to fill all vacant posts by the beginning of 2013. In each of the three court cases the department consented to the court order and then only partially complied with it.
The teachers say the failure to pay their salaries has taken a high toll on them and their families. Some face eviction and repossession of furniture. Others suffer stress and failing health. Life insurance and other policies have lapsed and some have been forced to take loans at high interest rates, according to papers before court.
The teachers – from six different schools in Grahamstown, all with letters of appointment dated January this year – are each owed between R36000 and R90000 .
The 25 temporary teachers alone are owed a total of R1.7-million in salary arrears, according to court papers. The teachers also want interest on their salary arrears at a rate of 15%.
One teacher, Carol Edwards, says in the affidavit that they all assumed duty in line with letters of appointment and taught daily .
She is the sole breadwinner in her family and now cannot even buy school shoes for her child. She is in arrears with her rent and faces eviction as well as having her furniture re- possessed.
She says the 50% interest on a cash loan she had to take is unsustainable.
“I have had to sell my refrigerator, washing machine, microwave and stove to generate funds for food and basic necessities. I have been ruined financially and crippled emotionally.”
Another teacher, Chumisa Nguza, defaulted on her mortgage and her insurance policies lapsed as she could not pay the premiums.
Other teachers, such as Patiswa Kunzana from Centani, said she last received a salary in December 2011.
Kunzana said the School Governing Body had tried to raise funds for her salary but the money had dried up in September 2012.
“I think it would be better if the department would stop making empty promises because it just hurts more when that promised date comes and there is still no money ,” she said.
Mfundisi Manisile from Butterworth, said he survived on donations of less than R500 a month.
Grahamstown LRC director Sarah Sephton said the urgent application would be heard in the Grahamstown High Court on May 24.
The LRC wants an order directing the department to pay up within five days or face having their assets seized in line with the State Liability Act. It has also asked that the department pay legal costs on a punitive scale.
Education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani yesterday said the failure to pay the teachers last week as promised was being investigated by departmental head Mthunywa Ngonzo.
“We are assured that the list of outstanding payments is with Treasury. Th ey should get their money by the latest Monday.”
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