Ramaphosa intervenes in unemployed teacher's predicament

A qualified teacher who has never had a paid teaching job since graduating eight years ago might finally get one thanks to the May 29 election campaign.

During President Cyril Ramaphosa's door-to-door campaign at Shongweni, west of Durban on Sunday, he visited the Nene family home.

Ramaphosa was met with tears as Slindile Nene, 42, and her mother told the president of their pain because of her unemployment.

Even after volunteering for three years at schools nearby, teaching up to grade 11 isiZulu, life skills and social sciences, she has never been employed or paid a stipend.

“I'm on every database of unemployed teachers but when it's time for employment it's like they never get to my name. I don't even get assistant teacher opportunities because I am over 35 years of age,” she told Ramaphosa.

Nene said she graduated in 2016 with a BEd from Unisa. Her mother pleaded for help as the unemployed teacher is her only hope.

“I want this matter resolved,” the president instructed staff during the conversation.

He assured Nene her matter will be “fixed”.

The family live off the mother's old age grant and child support grant for two grandchildren.

Sunday was Ramaphosa's last day of campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal. At a community meeting in KwaNgcolosi he urged the community to vote for the ANC on May 29.

He said the ANC is going into the election with progress made in the past 30 years and a commitment to create jobs in the next five years.

“Job creation is the priority for the ANC government. The ANC is the only party with experience of growing an economy and creating jobs.

“The ANC has knowledge and expertise; you can trust the ANC with your country, therefore vote for the ANC.”

He discouraged the community from voting for political parties with no proven governance track record.

Among ANC government successes Ramaphosa counted electricity, saying 94% of South Africans have electricity while this was only 50% in 1994 when the party took over.

“We might take it for granted and we complain about load-shedding, but reality is we lived under permanent load-shedding with no electricity,” said Ramaphosa.

He highlighted access to free basic education and tertiary education through NSFAS, RDP housing, the school nutrition programme and water provision as some of the gains by the ANC government.

Ramaphosa said his three-day campaign in Durban was a success.

“Our volunteers are confident of a good outcome for the ANC.

“ANC support here is solid with the people of this province. This region knows the organisation that has led them through struggle, the organisation that has led development and the organisation that is capable of leading this country,” he said.