The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) says disruptions may occur at matric exam marking centres in KwaZulu-Natal as the union demands payments for its members based on performance management evaluations.
Annually, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) pays teachers pay progression for the performance of educators. The amount paid to educators is 1.5% of the teachers gross salary. This money was due to be paid during October 2022 but the DBE failed to do this.
Sadtu KZN General Secretary Nomarashiya Caluza says it is not the unions' intention to disrupt matric marking, however, they have received numerous calls from their members wanting to know when they will be paid their pay progression. Crucially, some of these members are marking matric examination scripts.
The DBE issued a circular to these unpaid teachers, which promised that they will receive what is due to them before the end of the year.
However, Caluza says the circular issued by the DBE is vague and does not contain specific details as to when teachers can expect the money to be paid into their bank accounts.
They say they will be issuing joint statements with other unions which calls for the DBE to be clear as to when teachers will receive their money.
Caluza explained, “The department must be very clear as to when in terms of the days, it must not just be issued that by the end or before the end of December they would have paid, we want the specifics because teachers want their money. They want to use this money over these holidays and its money that they are owed by their employer.”
The general secretary says that if the department fails to pay its members, they will undertake consultations to decide upon the best course of action.
The DBE previously condemned individuals and groups using the National Senior Certificate examinations as leverage for their agendas. However, time will tell whether the teachers are paid what is owed to them in KZN.
