Several Eastern Cape teachers appointed mid-year to permanent state jobs have yet to be paid their salaries.
The Daily Dispatch has also learnt that other teachers promoted to senior positions, including principals and heads of department, have yet to receive appointment letters.
This comes after education MEC Mandla Makupula last week announced a cut in the number of teaching posts for 2016 by 1000 despite the department receiving an additional R1-billion for its salary bill.
Three teachers in junior positions, whose schools fall under the Libode and Lusikisiki districts, yesterday said the department had yet to pay their salaries. The three were appointed in March and July.
The problem of unpaid teachers was initially revealed by the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) at a seminar on school violence a week ago.
Sadtu provincial task team chairman Thabile Kunene said the department had also run out of funds for learner-teacher support materials (LTSM).
This could not be confirmed with the Eastern Cape education department as no response to questions sent to spokesman Malibongwe Mtima had been received at the time of writing.
One of the teachers said: “The Libode district is not giving us a clear explanation of what is happening. I had hoped that I would be able to provide for my family when I got this job.”
A Lusikisiki teacher said she was in debt. “I’ve been borrowing money from my friends and now I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
The third teacher said he was struggling to make ends meet.
“What makes it worse is that I’m employed and people know that I’m employed and therefore I should be earning a salary.”
National Professional Teacher’s Union (Naptosa) provincial executive officer Peter Duminy said the union was aware of the problem.
He said there were also those who had been promoted that had yet to receive their appointment letters.
“There is an historic problem in the human resource (HR) section of the department at head office. The national intervention has not made any improvements in HR.” — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Teachers wait for months, but salaries still not paid
The Daily Dispatch has also learnt that other teachers promoted to senior positions, including principals and heads of department, have yet to receive appointment letters.
This comes after education MEC Mandla Makupula last week announced a cut in the number of teaching posts for 2016 by 1000 despite the department receiving an additional R1-billion for its salary bill.
Three teachers in junior positions, whose schools fall under the Libode and Lusikisiki districts, yesterday said the department had yet to pay their salaries. The three were appointed in March and July.
The problem of unpaid teachers was initially revealed by the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) at a seminar on school violence a week ago.
Sadtu provincial task team chairman Thabile Kunene said the department had also run out of funds for learner-teacher support materials (LTSM).
This could not be confirmed with the Eastern Cape education department as no response to questions sent to spokesman Malibongwe Mtima had been received at the time of writing.
One of the teachers said: “The Libode district is not giving us a clear explanation of what is happening. I had hoped that I would be able to provide for my family when I got this job.”
A Lusikisiki teacher said she was in debt. “I’ve been borrowing money from my friends and now I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
The third teacher said he was struggling to make ends meet.
“What makes it worse is that I’m employed and people know that I’m employed and therefore I should be earning a salary.”
National Professional Teacher’s Union (Naptosa) provincial executive officer Peter Duminy said the union was aware of the problem.
He said there were also those who had been promoted that had yet to receive their appointment letters.
“There is an historic problem in the human resource (HR) section of the department at head office. The national intervention has not made any improvements in HR.” — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos