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A statutory body responsible for teachers has dismissed 22 officials belonging to a union affiliated to former Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi’s new federation, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu).
City Press reported earlier this year that the SA Council for Educators (Sace) was set to discipline officials in what was alleged by insiders to have been a union spat between those affiliated with Cosatu and those from Saftu.
Sace is dominated by the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), which are Cosatu affiliates.
Those that have been fired belong to the new SA Liberated Public Sector Workers’ Union (Salipswu), a Saftu affiliate.
Read: Education body hit by union spat
Sace spokesperson Themba Ndhlovu confirmed to City Press on August 7 that the 22 were dismissed.
“Sace dismissed 22 personnel after they were found guilty of various misconduct actions. The council respects the sensitivity of this matter, the integrity of its processes, as well as the rights and dignity of its employees. Therefore we would like to reserve any further comment at this stage,” Ndhlovu said at the time.
He didn’t respond to questions last week regarding whether or not there had been any developments in the matter.
Salipswu president Thobile Ntola had also not responded to questions sent to him last week relating to the developments on the matter, despite indicating he would do so.
Last month, when the news of the dismissal of the 22 surfaced, Ntola said they had met with them and would appeal their dismissals.
“We have written to their board, where Sadtu is in the majority, and appealed. We are preparing ourselves to take the case to the Commission of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, and we are prepared to go to the last court in the land,” Ntola said at the time.
He said they were thinking of asking Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to intervene because the ministry has 50% representation in Sace board.
“Our concern of seeking intervention is the fact that when this case started we wrote to the minister and even marched to her and submitted a memorandum, but there was no response. I guess it is because she is dear to Sadtu, which is running the department and all its institutions,” Ntola said.
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