Mon May 21 18:51:55 SAST 2012
Mon May 21 18:51:55 SAST 2012

Class dismissed

Aug 18, 2010 | Bafana Mahlangu and Sowetan writers | 17 comments

IN PHOTOS: Pupils from Khaselihle Primary School in Kagiso, Mogale City, were dismissed by their teachers after assembly. They were told to go back home because teachers are out on strike to demand higher pay

There was little schooling across South Africa today as 400,000 teachers downed their chalks.

The teachers, most of them members of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu), joined the public service strike after their unions rejected the government's latest offer.

The strike action follows months of tense negotiations in which unions rejected two improved government offers.

Public sector unions are demanding an 8,6 percent wage increase, R1000 housing allowance, equalisation of medical aid subsidies backdated to April 1.

The government is offering a seven percent increase and a R700 housing allowance backdated to July 1.

Basic Education spokesperson Granville Whittle admitted it would be "impossible" to replace striking teachers.

"We urge matrics to continue to work hard, work jointly and make use of the SABC revision programme to prepare for the exams," Whittle said.

Whittle said school governing bodies would be asked to supervise pupils.

 

Comments

Mon May 21 18:51:55 SAST 2012 ::
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Aug 18, 2010

Sebz

for how long willthis go on honetly,is our goverment aware of the damage and danger is putting on the the innocent pupils!!!
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Aug 18, 2010

Methodman

Aag shame Kids, I also have a kid attending primary school, she will understand in future when i send her in schools that my parent didnt manage to send me to, for her better future, for now she must go back at home until we solve this salary problem
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Aug 18, 2010

sbo

shame to the black student because is the only ones that i not at school if i was the gov i was going to retrencher all and put contract
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Aug 18, 2010

zaman

Poor kids what can they do have to wait dispute resolution is over.
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Aug 18, 2010

mamoruti

My baby is only 5yrs old in grade 0 they were told to go home @9h15 and he tried to explain to me why they were turned back, you can imagine the dissapointment on the 5year old's face heartbreaking
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Aug 18, 2010

mashandu

like i always say.. send kids to reasonable pvt schools.. this is utter rubbish!!!! we mite as well stop paying taxes and c how Zuma will support his 21 kids NXA!!!
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Aug 18, 2010

DRU

All our taxes monies are going straight to hell( Zuma & his big family +Goverment officials & their spoilt brats) that's why they can't able to share it with this striking Teachers.
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Aug 18, 2010

Mafia

This is not fair.. I have released an album called "Back 2 School" precisley because I would love to see our schools being filled and the teachers doing their jobs for once.

Jnr Mafia
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Aug 18, 2010

myself

u work from 08:30 to 2H00 and u go on leave for the whole months in June and Decemeber and for two weeks in September and March every year on top of that you still get your 22 annual leave days and your minimum salary per annum is close to R150,000 AND U CLAIM TO BE UNDER PAID? U MUST BE JOKING AND CLEARLY U DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER PPL ARE FACING OUT THERE.
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Aug 18, 2010

I support the strike, Teachers are way underpaid.
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