New Higher Education and Training (DHET) Minister Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize has been given 14 days to sort out pay disparities at Buffalo City Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET).
The ultimatum was issued yesterday by South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) members.
They demanded the department conclude and release the report on the disparities of salaries paid to the college’s lecturers.
Close to 100 Sadtu members made the demand in a picket outside the college’s campus in Lukin Road and was also in solidarity with a nationwide protest by thousands of Sadtu members to DHET.
The action came hot on the heels of President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle that saw Dr Blade Nzimande replaced by Mkhize, who moved from the Department of Home Affairs.
The picketers held placards and sang struggle songs and included lecturers from all TVET and Community Education and Training (CET) sectors in the province, such as BCC, Lovedale and King Hintsa TVET colleges.
Late last year, the Daily Dispatch reported on a senior staff member at BCC who leaked the salaries of lecturers at the college which revealed that different people doing the same job, were not paid the same salary.
The matter was reported to DHET for further investigation.
However, no outcome had been received on this matter to date.
Some of the demands include:
lUniform pay across all provinces;
lStandardised conditions of service in respect of the working hours and leave;
lSalary cuts made to CET lecturers to be reversed; and
lProper implementation of norms and standards at CET colleges.
The memorandum was handed over to DHET’s acting regional manager Fezile May, who said the voices of members were heard and their grievances would be addressed.
“We are in communication with head office and even though we are working towards resolving these issues, we cannot really say when we will be able to do so completely.”
Sadtu leader in the province Chris Mdingi said if DHET did not respond to their demands within the 14 days, the union would ballot its members to determine further actions. — arethal@dispatch.co.za