"Our discussions with Mannya . culminated in a mutual agreement to re-determine his employment contract," Kiviet said in a speech prepared for delivery. "In terms of this re-determination [his] contract will end on April 30 2012, while his operational responsibilities as head of department will cease with effect from the date of the signing of the agreement - that is today."

The agreement was "in the best interest" of education in the province. "[It] is not by any means a pronouncement on the suitability or not of the head of the department of education," Kiviet said.

She acknowledged that education in the province had been "fraught with challenges over the past 18 years".

"[This is] partly derived from historical factors and numerous other dynamic contributing factors.

"These challenges have resulted in education experiencing the highest leadership turnover, in many instances losing some of our finest leadership at political and administrative levels."

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and other senior officials would visit the province today and tomorrow for talks with Kiviet.

On April 16, Kiviet's office denied reports that Mannya was being removed from his position.

Dispatch Online reported that day that the ANC leadership in the Eastern Cape had told Kiviet to negotiate an exit strategy for Mannya.

The premier reportedly wanted to offer him R2-million to leave, but he expected more.

In January, the national government intervened in the provincial department after receiving a damning report from a group of five deputy ministers who visited the province last year.

Dispatch Online reported it was understood that Mannya had not done much to implement what was agreed on between the national and provincial education departments.

Yesterday, the Eastern Cape ANC welcomed the agreement.

"While we respect the confidentiality clause in the agreement signed by both parties, we take this opportunity to appreciate the work done by Mannya during his tenure at the helm of the department," provincial secretary Lubabalo Mabuyane said in a statement. "We want to state it categorically that the mutual agreement was not influenced by anyone, but was a decision taken by both parties, having considered all possibilities."

DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren "regretted" Mannya's resignation.

"This department already lacks strong political leadership. With Mannya's resignation, the department has also been left without strong managerial leadership."

Van Vuuren said Mannya was "driven out" by the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu).

"Sadtu defied Mannya on many occasions, and absolutely resisted the carrying out of post provisioning for 2012, in other words, the movement of excess educators to substantive vacant posts.

"Sadtu must not get excited over this resignation. This union must be held responsible as the main contributor of the decay of education in the province."

Sadtu's provincial office could not be reached for comment.

Comments

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Mon May 20 23:59:03 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 24, 2012

ngutha

I know Mannya will be redeployed to national department....watch this space!!

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Apr 24, 2012

MSG_S

EC Educators have been incopetent for years now. And they are determined to push out who ever is driving them to be more competent. Not so long ago I read from the Sowetan that a Principal from one the primary school in EC has been on sick leave for 5 years and getting her salary every month of that period including bonus. How can you pay bonus to somebody who is doing nothing but turning side to side in her bed for 5 years?
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Apr 24, 2012

Shwabada

Ngutha you are telling the truth. The ANC thinks we are fools and they do that all the time. The told him to resign from that position to give him a fat cheque in another department. All I am happy about is that he gone from the department of education.
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Apr 24, 2012

POST94

Mannya seems to specialise in unceremoninious resignations. He left the then KZN Department of Agriculture under similar circumstances. It was him against the unions/staff. On one day he locked the Head Office (Cedara) entrance at 07h30 SHARP. As you know, this resulted in a number of staff (THE CHRONIC late comers) creating a traffic outside the entrance. More staff including senior managers were outside than inside the premises.

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Apr 24, 2012

Lehido

He will reappear in another department as a DG...Watch and see.....

On the other note, Shame on Vavi for holding our country at a ransom....
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Apr 24, 2012

Maqhankqa

Mannya is not the problem. Eastern Cape education has been in the doldrums for years. Remember, Mannya was heading the Educ dept for the second time. SADTU sang praises for him to be brought back after he had left unceremoniously.If my memory serves me well Mannya left when his life was being threatened during the first phase of his contract. To apportion blame on Mannya is disingenous indeed. The EC education is the microcosm of the state of education in SA and those in helm of eduation like the national ministers, Motshekga and Blade seem to be incapable of fixing the problem. SADTU is part of the problem as well as they do as they pleases. Take the grade 12 results, when have you ever heard of the EC grade 12 results being regarded as outstanding? Look at it this way, if grade 12 results are inflated yearly and the EC results keep on remaining the lowest in SA, what is the actual percentage of those who have genuinely passed? Again look at it from this perspective, if the grade 12 results form the privileged schools are separated from the rest, what is the actual percentage of the grade 12 results from the Township schools? You will be surprised. Let us not deceive ourselves by thinking that the departure of Mannya will solve the education problem in the Eastern Cape. The whole system needs to be changed and bring back the ethos of education in SA.

p/s By the way who benefits if the majority of South African children are not educated?
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Apr 24, 2012

Papage

They got rit of him, he did not resign. what a lie, he must be ashamed of himself. These old men must be on pension now, infect those who refuse to change must go, they still holding on the old way of doing things, they must go
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Apr 24, 2012

SteveBiko

its long over due, this idiot has embarass our country.
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Apr 24, 2012

MommaC

SADTU and the National DoE stuffed everything up but he is fired? Seems a bit unfair
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Apr 24, 2012

TDK

EC learners are going through hell and the govt doesn't seem to care.
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