Tension is mounting as the Eastern Cape education boss threatens the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) with legal action after some of its members forced the department's offices in Grahamstown to close on Friday.
Tension is mounting as the Eastern Cape education boss threatens the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) with legal action after some of its members forced the department's offices in Grahamstown to close on Friday.
The Eastern Cape education department spokesperson, Loyiso Pulumani, confirmed that a teachers' representative organisation descended on the district offices in a confrontational exchange.
In a statement released yesterday, provincial head of education Modidima Mannya warned teachers and education department employees engaging in illegal strike action, and said an urgent application to interdict this action would be heard in court on Friday.
The statement instructed staff to return to their normal duties and said acts of intimidation must be reported to the police.
Meanwhile, Pulumani told Grocott's Mail in an email that negotiations were still under way with Sadtu, but no agreement had been reached. Sadtu are calling for Mannya's resignation. Sadtu's Eastern Cape deputy secretary Nolitha Mboniswa said until their concerns were addressed they would continue with their go-slow.
