Of 69 Grade R and Adult Basic Education and Training teachers in Grahamstown who struggled without pay earlier this year, only one has still not been paid, according to the provincial education department.
Grocott's Mail reported in our 31 May edition that Grade R and Abet teachers in the Eastern Cape had gone for two months without pay.
Of 69 Grade R and Adult Basic Education and Training teachers in Grahamstown who struggled without pay earlier this year, only one has still not been paid, according to the provincial education department.
Grocott's Mail reported in our 31 May edition that Grade R and Abet teachers in the Eastern Cape had gone for two months without pay.
At the time, we interviewed Thembisa Marawu, a Grade R teacher at Siyazama Pre-school in Extension 6, who said the department had given the teachers letters to sign and told them the School Governing Bodies should pay them, because they were not employees of the department.
Loyiso Pulumani, the department's spokesperson, confirmed last week that a delay in renewing contracts was to blame.
"The practitioners were not paid for the month of April because of the verification process that only involves the Eastern Cape. However, most were paid during May," Pulumani said. The verification process entails confirming that the teachers are employed at particular schools, as well as the signing of new contracts.
"The department decided to change the manner in which the Grade R practitioner's contracts were renewed, in order to strengthen internal controls. Unfortunately this was not completed in time for payment for the month of April," Pulumani said.
"Out of 69 Grahamstown practitioners who were not paid due to the delay in signing the contracts, only one practitioner has not received payment, because of her overpayment in the last financial year. This is currently being sorted, as it involves Pretoria."
"I am very happy that things have gone back to normal," Marawu said this week. "Not being paid during the past couple of months were such an inconvenience. It is very frustrating not to be informed about such crucial changes."
Of the 4354 Grade R and Abet teachers who were not paid in April, Pulumani said, there were 140 whose salaries were still on hold until their details could be verified.
