A teacher whose daughter's future is paramount
EVERY worker has the right to strike, but something I witnessed during the current public servants strike left me in deep thought.
It was early in the morning, and as always I dropped my 13-year-old daughter at Culembeeck Primary School in Witpoortjie, Roodepoort.
As we were about to bid each other goodbye, a man, probably in his 50s and driving a luxury German sedan, pulled up to drop off his daughter as well.
For no apparent reason, his face registered in my mind ...
Later that day, I went to cover the strike in Kagiso, Mogale City. Sadtu members had converged at Mosupatsela Secondary School preparing to march to the district office in Krugersdorp.
Tempers were already high when I arrived. People were chanting and hurling insults at cabinet ministers.
Then I got the shock of my life. The face I had earlier seen at my daughter's school was among the crowd - all dressed up in a red Sadtu T-shirt.
The man teaches at a local public school. Probably, the man was present at assembly the previous day when the principal announced to pupils that they were on strike and dismissed school immediately.
The pupils could not care less and a group of boys formed two teams and went on to play football in the dusty grounds of Kagiso.
In the afternoon, my Sadtu teacher routinely went back to pick up his daughter.
That made me think: Here is a Sadtu teacher proudly on strike at a public school. His daughter is not affected by this because he can presumably afford private education.
What a contrast!
Suffer the poor children, I murmured to myself.
Daffodil
Bafana if you only realized this now, then you are naive mfethu, its been happening for ages. and for fear of intimidation no on will raise the name of the teacher. COSATU and ANC are thugs!!Report Abuse
mendo
HE has to, he is fighting for his rights '('His daughter is not affected by this because he can presumably afford private education).'' that does'nt concern you just mind your own business lady.....Report Abuse
Dayzer
Just to show how selfish they are.I've said it before i'm not going to say it again.divisions, divisions,and more divisions.not that they are lying to us they are also mileading themselves.come end of the strike,the sherrif will be at the gates to reposessI can't wait for that day to laugh my lungs out.Report Abuse
Pabi
If government can have power over this private school to be able to accomodate all people that need to be there, actually we mustn't have private and public schools why cant our children have equal rights, and the very same teacher after strike she/he wont even go extra mile for the sake of our children knowing that they have wasted so much time on strike.Report Abuse
Daffodil
@mendoyou are probably related to a teacher and feel that its correct to trample on your neighbors rights while calling the cops to protect your dog!! but its useless trying explain this to you because you might just respond in one line swearing!!
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Ntoko
I've been saying this all alonger, they don't care how long the strike takes because their children are not affected by it, i understand that they have the right to strike but what about the future?Report Abuse
Modipadi
I am sure that teacher did not join a lot of policies like his colleagues did. And his wife is not a teacher.This is life at it best.Report Abuse
mkhwanvj
even the Mandelas and Sisulus sent their children overseas to get education - look now the Sisulus are in parliament occupying top positions.We, stupid poor people always help them to get better.
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matsosam
they just don't care, as long as their children are in class. they are selfishReport Abuse
1malesia
@Daffodil - you are right, this has been happening for YEARS! Most of these teachers have enrolled their kids in 'model C' or private schools and can afford to disrupt the education of those less fortunate. This is just pure hypocrisy!Report Abuse